CISBIO BIOASSAYS UNVEILS TAG-LITE FOR ASSAY DEVELOPMENT.

Cisbio Bioassays (http://www.htrf.com), member of IBA group and global developer of HTRF (Homogeneous Time-Resolved Fluorescence) technology and services used in assay development and drug screening, has launched Tag-lite, its new cellular platform for cell surface receptor study and screening, at the Society for Biomolecular Sciences Conference & Exhibition in Lille, France. Tag-lite is a homogeneous, nonradioactive and cost-effective alternative for the study of cell surface receptor dimerization and ligand binding, two important investigation avenues in drug discovery research. Tag-lite, developed by Cisbio Bioassays, combines two technologies, HTRF, Cisbio Bioassays' highly sensitive, robust technology for the detection of molecular interactions in vitro, and SNAP-tag, Covalys Biosciences' self-labeling protein tag system. Streamlined for highly selective assays, Tag-lite offers a comprehensive reagent and method selection for the investigation of G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) binding and mechanistics, and preserves the functionality of the receptor and the intracellular signaling pathway.

"No other company offers such a complete high throughput method for detecting phenomena at the cell surface," said Francois Degorce, head of marketing at Cisbio Bioassays. "Tag-lite is not just a one-dimensional product but rather a non-radioactive cell-based platform that can be used in binding, dimerization and different assays, all while eliminating the high costs associated with radioactive waste and related materials. This tool is another example of why Cisbio Bioassays and HTRF have become synonymous with R&D innovation in the GPCR arena, as our portfolio enables researchers to investigate GPCRs from an increasing number of angles."

"IGF has collaborated with Cisbio Bioassays on a number of projects over the past decade, and extensively tested and validated Tag-lite for dimerization," said Dr. Jean-Philippe Pin, head of the Department of Molecular Pharmacology at IGF, the research institute in Montpellier, France specialized in GPCR studies and molecular pharmacology. "Tag-lite allowed us to further investigate how receptor dimerization and activation are linked. When we observed conformational changes in subunits of a receptor dimer following agonist binding, we found that the G-protein's interaction with the receptor dimer led to an asymmetric functioning of this dimer."

The study of ligand binding and dimerization is an important part of drug discovery research. Both phenomena involve specific interactions between proteins and molecules, processes which determine the pharmacology of GPCRs. GPCRs are transmembrane receptors which transmit signals from the outside to the inside of a cell and are involved in all aspects of human physiology. A better understanding of the pharmacology can help lead to the discovery of more selective drug treatments. Ligand binding study, in particular, has traditionally been a research area that relies on radioactive methods. Like radioactivity, the Tag-lite labelling concept does not impair ligand binding capability and therefore provides the same pharmacological relevance as reference methods. The Tag-lite toolbox comprises a series of ready-to-use reagents and will also be offered as part of Cisbio Bioassays' custom-labelled ligand and custom plasmid, cell line and assay design services to customers through its worldwide sales network.

About Cisbio Bioassays

Cisbio Bioassays is a global developer of products and technologies used in in vitro diagnostics and assay development for drug screening procedures. The company pioneered the field of homogenous fluorescence methodologies via its proprietary technology, HTRF, a highly sensitive, robust technology for the detection of molecular interactions and widely used by the pharmaceutical industry for the high throughput screening stage of drug development. In addition, Cisbio Bioassays produces a selection of biological reagents and methods used by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as contract research organizations (CROs).

Headquartered in Bagnols-sur-Ceze, France, with facilities in Bedford, MA, U.S.A. and a network of distributors worldwide, Cisbio Bioassays is a member of the Belgium-based IBA group.

IBA develops and markets leading edge technologies, pharmaceuticals and tailor-made solutions for healthcare with a focus on cancer diagnosis and therapy. Leveraging its scientific expertise, IBA is also active in the field of industrial sterilization and ionization. Listed on the pan-European stock exchange EURONEXT, IBA is included in the BelMid Index. Please visit http://www.htrf.com and http://www.iba-worldwide.com for more information about Cisbio Bioassays and IBA. HTRF is a registered trademark of Cisbio Bioassays Tag-lite is a trademark of Cisbio Bioassays SNAP-tag is a trademark of Covalys Biosciences