October 1, 2011 (Vol. 31, No. 17)

Advancing a World-Class cDNA Clone Collection into the Protein, Antibody, Assay, and Diagnostics Arena

OriGene Technologies was founded in 1996 as a research tool company focused on the creation of the largest commercial collection of full-length human cDNAs in a standard expression vector. OriGene’s mission to prepare comprehensive sets of gene research tools and technology platforms has enabled scientists to study complete biological pathways, thus facilitating a better understanding of biological processes and disease regulation, including cancer and stem cell research. The comprehensive expression clone collection (now expanded to mouse and rat) is the core asset of OriGene. Upon this foundation, the company has prepared 12,000 overexpression cell lysates, 5,000+ purified recombinant human proteins (HEK293 expressed), and 3,000+ highly characterized monoclonal antibodies (TrueMAB™).

Having these sets of authentic human proteins and antibodies provides OriGene a unique opportunity to rapidly deliver assay development services to the diagnostics, biopharma, and biotech communities. OriGene has strategically integrated three specialty biotech companies to enhance its whole-product solution. Cytomyx (>150,000 U.S., consented human tissues), Marligen (nucleic acid purification, licensed luminex assay developer), and Blue Heron (gene synthesis leader) have all come together as one organization, placing OriGene in a unique position to provide a leading-edge, gene-centric portfolio.

Markets Served

As “Your Gene Company”, OriGene has a broad portfolio of biological reagents and services that are of value to both academic research and industry product development. Utilizing high-throughput technologies in molecular cloning, the human cDNA collection is nearing completion with respect to the NCBI RefSeq curated database of unique human transcripts. With such a comprehensive portfolio of cDNAs, researchers are more likely to find their full-length plasmids from OriGene. This is of particular value to laboratories that wish to move their projects along quickly by purchasing ready-made clones. If not immediately available, the Blue Heron synthesis service can conveniently provide any gene, any sequence, in any vector, with add-on services of codon-optimization and large-scale DNA purification. The cDNA clone sets can be used for high-throughput functional screening to identify novel players in biological processes.

OriGene’s 5,000 recombinant human proteins produced in human cells are of high value to researchers that are interested in authentic structure. Proteins with correct post-translational modifications (phosphorylation, glycosylation, etc.) are crucial for biologically relevant structure and functional studies. They are ideal for assay development, small molecule interaction screening, or as antigens for antibody production.

Commensurate with the release of the purified human proteins, OriGene created the manufacturing capacity to produce over 300 antihuman mouse monoclonal antibodies per month (TrueMAB). This growing catalog of more than 3,000 antibodies is supplying many researchers with highly specific antibodies directed against authentic human protein antigens. Each antibody is offered with extensive validation data for applications such as Western blot, flow cytometry, immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry and ELISA.

Capabilities

With the largest collections of full-length cDNA clones, human-cell produced/purified proteins, and TrueMAB™ monoclonal specific antibodies, OriGene is now utilizing its reagent toolbox in the craft of assay development for drug discovery and disease diagnostics. One recent example is the creation of a high density protein microarray for antibody validation. OriGene’s 10K chip (see image above) is spotted with over 10,000 unique overexpressed proteins (in duplicate) on a single nitrocellulose coated glass slide. This technology has been used to validate antibody specificity and can be applied as a screening method to decode monoclonal antibodies (identifying antigens), for profiling auto-antibodies in patient sera. Key projects are under way with this 10K protein chip to develop new cancer diagnostic tests and improve some of those already on the market.

For more information on OriGene products, services, or unique opportunities, please contact [email protected].

Comprehensive collections of gene tools have enabled OriGene to create multiple innovative platforms for assay development and molecular diagnostics. OriGene is committed to its mission to be Your Gene Company, a high-quality supplier of gene-focused products to biomedical researchers.

OriGene

9620 Medical Center Drive

Suite 200

Rockville, MD 20850

Phone 888.267.4436

Website www.origene.com

Date Founded 1996

Number of Employees 300

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