Millipore has announced a collaboration with Gerry Shaw from the University of Florida and Encor Biotechnology to develop and license an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Elisa) kit
This kit accurately measures the levels of pNF-H, a sensitive biomarker of axonal injury, in homogenates of tissues as well as samples of serum, CSF and other bodily fluids.
The neurofilament Elisa kit can be used in research not only for detecting the extent of spinal cord and brain injuries, but also finding axonal degeneration in neurological diseases, such as ALS and multiple sclerosis.
The kit measures upregulation of pNF-H in a variety of damage, intoxication and disease states.
This assay functions on all mammalian species tested to date, including rat, mouse, rabbit, cat, pig, cow and human.
"Partnering with a pioneer like Gerry Shaw, who founded EnCor and has prospered in an amazing biotechnology incubator at the University of Florida, is a privilege for Millipore," said Kumar Bala, marketing director for antibody technology at Millipore.
"We believe collaborations like this will accelerate discovery and therapy in the field of degenerative diseases, and Millipore is committed to further partnering with scientists at leading academic, biotech and government institutions to supply research tools worldwide which will accelerate breakthroughs in medicine and therapies".
Gerry Shaw, professor in the department of neuroscience at the McKnight Brain Institute at the University of Florida College of Medicine, founded Encor Biotechnology in December 1999.
encor manufactures markets and researches high quality antibodies and proteins.
In December 2004, Encor, Shaw and a collaborator, Brian Pike at the National Institutes of Health, announced a patent pending on the Elisa assay.
