Frost & Sullivan Recognizes Cisbio Bioassays for Technology ...( Uniting Technologies from Multiple Fi...)

Uniting Technologies from Multiple Fields, Strengthening the Molecular Bioassays Market

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on its recent analysis of the molecular bioassays market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Cisbio Bioassays with the 2009 Frost & Sullivan North America Technology Innovation of the Year Award. Its innovative, pioneering Tag-lite(TM) technology for cell surface receptor investigation, in particular G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), brings together homogeneous time resolved fluorescence (HTRF(R)) and SNAP(TM)-tag technologies.

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GPCRs, or receptors that mediate signaling between a cell and its environment, are critical for maintaining homeostatic processes. Any irregularities in signaling through these receptors can result in obesity, atherosclerosis, arthritis, asthma, cardiac dysfunction, depression, anxiety, and pain, among others. The contribution of GPCRs to disease pathways has resulted in this class of receptors accounting for more than 50 percent of the high-throughput screening (HTS) programs in the pharmaceuticals industry and subsequently, nearly 40 percent of current drug targets.

With more than 1,000 genes, the GPCRs make up the single largest gene family of the human genome. As cell surface receptors, GPCRs are easily amenable to targeting without the issues of cell permeability. The high therapeutic relevance of GPCRs confers greater significance to the development of the Tag-lite(TM) technology by Cisbio Bioassays.

However, the structural studies and analysis of these receptors have been limited by the fastidious nature of GPCRs in the context of crystallization. The other, very active area of scientific pursuit has remained the functional characterization of 7TM receptors by emplo
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