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

Takara Bio Products Are Available in the U.S. through Clontech Laboratories—a Takara Bio Company

Takara Bio is committed to improving the human condition through biotechnology. The company has three primary businesses: research tools for the life sciences, cell and gene therapy technologies, and nutraceuticals.

Starting as the biomedical business of Takara Shuzo—a fermentation and beverage company founded in 1925 (now Takara Holdings)—Takara Bio introduced the first domestically produced restriction enzymes to the Japanese market in 1979. With over 40 years of continuous experience in providing innovative solutions to life science researchers, Takara Bio maintains a strong intellectual property position and offers a broad array of product lines in PCR, molecular biology, enzymes, antibodies, cell biology, and protein research.

With business units in Japan, China (including both manufacturing and sales operations), Europe, Korea, India, and the United States, Takara Bio provides a truly global leadership position in the life science reagent and instrument market.

About the Company

The global headquarters of Takara Bio is located in Otsu, Shiga, Japan. Takara Bio is listed on the Mothers (high-growth and emerging) section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange and is a subsidiary of Takara Holdings. In 2005, the company acquired Clontech Laboratories, headquartered in Mountain View, CA. This acquisition further strengthened Takara Bio’s product offering for researchers in the areas of gene discovery, regulation, and function. Clontech Laboratories is responsible for the marketing, sales, and distribution of both Takara Bio and Clontech brand products in North America, South America, and additional geographic regions.

Markets Served

Customers and clients of Takara Bio include private, academic, and government research entities worldwide. Takara Bio has formed many partnerships with entities in the life science market ranging from small companies to multinational corporations, including clients active in the life science reagents, instrumentation, and diagnostics markets.

Takara Bio holds U.S. and foreign patents on several key technologies including LA (Long and Accurate) PCR as well as other high-performance PCR enzymes and systems, restriction and various other enzymes, protein expression and analysis tools, cloning technologies, and fluorescent protein reporters.

Capabilities

Takara Bio’s 431,000 sq. ft. state-of-art facility in Dalian, China, employs over 400 people. The facility contains five 50 L fermentors for large-scale production and yields over 1,000,000 units of manufactured products per year. In addition, the Dalian facility contains Biosafety Level II (BSL2) cleanrooms. The facility has passed audits for products receiving FDA approval and operates a quality management system based on international standards.

Takara Bio is able to meet clients’ sales demands with competitive pricing, excellent shipping logistics, and custom packaging. Our product areas include materials for molecular diagnostic research (PCR reagents: polymerases, real time PCR products, reverse transcriptases, primers and buffers); cellular detection products (antibodies and EIA kits); and assay development products (restriction and modifying enzymes, cloning, DNA/RNA and protein markers, electrophoresis salts and buffers, and protein products). Takara’s expertly trained research and development scientists and superior technical support scientists offer unparalleled knowledge and expertise.

The Takara Bio brand of reagents includes high-performance polymerases such as TaKaRa Ex Taq™ DNA polymerase, PrimeSTAR® high-fidelity DNA polymerases, and TaKaRa LA Taq™ DNA Polymerases; RetroNectin® viral transduction reagent; qPCR kits; enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kits; and extraction reagents. The Clontech brand includes a robust portfolio of reagents such as TITANIUM® Taq, Xfect™ Transfection Reagents, Matchmaker® two-hybrid screening systems, Lenti-X™ lentiviral expression systems, iDimerize™ inducible dimerization systems, and a comprehensive suite of fluorescent protein reporters.

With true global reach, a strong and secure supply chain, and a broad product portfolio, Takara Bio supports our clients’ needs in OEM, custom, and bulk manufacturing.

Takara Bio

In the U.S.

Clontech Laboratories, Inc

1290 Terra Bella Ave.

Mountain View, CA 94043

Phone 650.919.7300 800.662.2566

Website www.clontech.com/takara

Date Founded 1967

Number of Employees > 1,000 worldwide

Previous articleAdvertorial: ATR
Next articleEmergent Wins Potentially $1.25M Anthrax Vaccine Supply Contract