Agilent and HMT will integrate novel biochemical assays with capillary electrophoresis and mass spectrometry for the profiling, identification and quantitation of metabolic markers
Agilent Technologies and Human Metabolome Technologies have signed an agreement to collaborate on an integrated set of metabolome analysis tools designed to help researchers discover potential therapeutics.
Under the agreement, The two companies will work to integrate HMT's novel biochemical assays with Agilent's capillary electrophoresis (CE) and mass spectrometry (MS) technologies for the profiling, identification and quantitation of metabolic markers.
Metabolomics, which aims to characterise the complete set of metabolites, provides critical insights into how living things function under particular conditions, such as stress or disease, and may help identify targets for drug development.
Typical human cells contain thousands of metabolites, and the aim of the HMT/Agilent solution is to develop a new and unique mass spectrometry-based workflow for high throughput analysis.
"The human metabolome is the next frontier of research beyond the genome and the proteome, and metabolomics promises exciting advances," said Yoshihiro Ohtaki, president of HMT.
"The combination of Agilent's robust and sensitive CE/MS technology with our latest metabolomics methodologies will speed the identification of metabolites and improve scientists' ability to map the human metabolome".
The Agilent and HMT metabolomics solution is expected to be on the market within six months (ie, by about the end of 2005 - Ed).
"Metabolomics is a rapidly emerging and promising area in life science research and an area of focus for Agilent," said Taia Ergueta, Agilent business manager for proteomics, life sciences and chemical analysis group.
"We offer competencies in gene expression, separation technologies, mass spectrometry and informatics.
"The further application of HMT's expertise in metabolomics methodologies will speed the development of new tools for metabolomics research".
HMT is described as a Japanese bioventure.
