Xantos will identify candidate proteins and analyse their mode of action by combining high throughput and automated overexpression of a human full-length cDNA library with an appropriate assay
Xantos Biomedicine, a functional biology and drug discovery company, has signed a service agreement with Nuvelo to perform a large-scale screen for a novel protein with therapeutic relevance using its XantoScreen technology.
Xantos will identify candidate proteins and analyse their mode of action by combining high throughput and automated overexpression of a human full-length cDNA library with an appropriate assay for the detection of phenotypic changes.
In addition, Xantos will apply its cDNA library formatting service for related studies.
Michael Kazinski, Xantos's chief technology officer, commented on the agreement: "We have one of the largest human full-length clone collections with currently 35,000 clones.
"Together with our XantoScreen technology we are in an excellent position to identify proteins that interact with Nuvelo's target and to provide knowledge about target specific biological mechanisms." Stephan Wehselau, CEO at Xantos, added: "The project with Nuvelo shows that our services based on XantoScreen are in high demand to answer customer specific questions.
"The recognition of the value of our technology and expertise by a company of Nuvelo's calibre underlines the potential of our approach".
"Xantos's expertise in high throughput biological assays and screening complements Nuvelo's development expertise in biotherapeutics," said Walter Funk, Nuvelo's vice president of research.
"The application of co-developed screening regimens will accelerate our discovery efforts substantially".
XantoScreen, a proprietary robotic platform, is a fully automated cellular gene-transfection and assay system that allows genome-wide screenings for the discovery and functional validation of novel targets to be carried out rapidly and with accurate read-out.
XantoScreen can be customised to a range of high content cellular screening assays and enables individual cDNAs, RNAi molecules or proteins to be studied in combination with or without inhibitory molecules, to identify and validate targets, ligands, receptors, compounds or pathways.
Xantos Biomedicine is a functional biology and drug discovery company that is focusing on the identification and validation of disease relevant human genes.
Studies on biological functions are carried out rapidly by screening for phenotypic changes caused by increase of gene function in mammalian cell systems.
For this Xantos has established the proprietary high-throughput, fully automated cellular gene-transfection and assay system XantoScreen that is used for several functional applications: molecular drug profiling; target/pathway profiling; target and protein identification; and lead identification.
XantoScreen enables the fully automated and standardised functional analysis of 100,000 to 300,000 genes per month in cell systems.
Xantos claims one of the world's largest full-length human cDNA collections (35,000 clones), several high quality cDNA libraries from various human tissues and several cell systems available for high throughput analysis.
The company uses its technology for its own discovery programmes in cancer and metabolic diseases.
Xantos focuses on the development of therapeutics based on secreted proteins involved in angiogenesis of cancer cells, in differentiation of fat cells and in the induction of insulin resistance.
Xantos has already identified several disease relevant new targets and proteins and is searching for collaboration partners.
Xantos is offering its technology, the utilisation of human cDNA collections, libraries and functional cell assay systems on a fee-for-service basis for technology-driven interactions.
Nuvelo is dedicated to improving the lives of patients through the discovery, development and commercialisation of novel drugs for acute cardiovascular and cancer therapy.
Nuvelo's clinical pipeline includes alfimeprase, a direct acting thrombolytic in phase 3 trials for the treatment of acute peripheral arterial occlusion (PAO) and catheter occlusion and rNAPc2, an anticoagulant currently in phase 2 trials that inhibits factor VIIa/tissue factor complex.
Nuvelo recently identified NU206 as a preclinical development candidate from its proprietary research programmes and expects to leverage expertise in secreted proteins and antibody discovery to expand its pipeline and create partnering and licencing opportunities.
