Agreement covers Transposagen’s p53 and Bcrp TGEM™ knockout rat models.
Charles River Laboratories entered into an exclusive, long-term marketing and distribution agreement with Transposagen Biopharmaceuticals covering Transposagen’s p53 and Bcrp TGEM™ knockout rat models and associated downstream services utilizing these models. The companies have also agreed to an R&D collaboration to create new genetically modified rat models.
With this deal, Charles River will be able to offer knockout rat models to its clients for the first time. These rat models are expected to provide new opportunities to examine the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, efficacy, and carcinogenicity as well as other potential toxicities of novel therapeutic compounds.
Transposagen’s showcase TGEM model, the p53 TGEM knockout rat model, is expected to be a valuable tool in oncology research as it is believed that the Tp53 gene (tumor protein 53) is the most commonly mutated gene in human cancers. The p53 TGEM knockout rat model is also the only fully phenotyped p53 knockout rat model commercially available, according to Charles River and Transposagen.
The Bcrp TGEM knockout rat model lacks the expression of the drug transporter Bcrp gene (breast cancer resistance protein 1, or Abcg2), which plays a role in multidrug resistance in cancer, the uptake of drugs in cells, and fetal protection during pregnancy.