Showing posts with label Polyplus-transfection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Polyplus-transfection. Show all posts

Tuesday, 9 September 2008

Polyplus-transfection S.A. — Company Profile

Polyplus-transfection SA
BIOPARC
Boulevard Sébastien Brant
BP 90018
67400 Illkirch
France

Tel.: +33 (0)3 90 40 61 80
Fax : +33 (0)3 90 40 61 81
Website: http://www.polyplus-transfection.com/

Polyplus-transfection is a research-focused biotechnology company developing and marketing innovative solutions for transfection and therapies based on nucleic acid delivery.

Transfection allows the introduction of nucleic acids, such as a gene or small interfering RNA (siRNA), into cells using chemical compounds. The technique is widely used in experimental research and in protein production.

Introducing a gene into a cell nucleus triggers the expression of the corresponding protein. Conversely, transferring siRNA will block the production of a protein. Inappropriate gene expression is the root cause of numerous diseases. As a result, the ability to control those genes through gene therapy or RNA interference opens up new therapeutic approaches where efficient intra-cellular drug transfer is key to success.

Using its know-how in nucleic acid delivery, the R&D department at Polyplus-transfection is focused on the development of innovative synthetic compounds designed to take account of the latest advances in the transfer of biomolecules, especially the in vivo delivery of small interfering RNA. Polyplus-transfection is one of the technology leaders in the transfection market.

Polyplus-transfection has established a number of R&D partnerships with biotechnology companies involved in therapeutics. It also plays an active role in European research networks such as GIANT (Gene therapy, and Integrated Approach to Neoplastic Treatment) and RIGHT (RNA Interference Technology as Human Therapeutic Tool). Polyplus-transfection recently extended its field of expertise to the development of new cationic oligonucleotides, ZNA (Zip Nucleic Acid), for molecular biology and diagnostics.


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Thursday, 3 July 2008

Senesco Signs A Supply Agreement For Polyplus-transfection's Delivery System

New Brunswick, N.J, USA, July 3, 2008 — Senesco Technologies, Inc. ("Senesco" or the "Company") (AMEX:SNT) announced today that it has contracted with Polyplus-transfection (Illkirch, France) to supply Polyplus's "in vivo-jetPEI" for systemic delivery of Senesco's combination therapy of siRNA against Factor 5A and a plasmid of the Factor 5A gene.

Senesco has previously reported positive preclinical in vivo results using its combination siRNA and plasmid delivered with "in vivo-jetPEI" against subcutaneous multiple myeloma tumors in immunodeficient mice.

"This supply agreement will help Senesco move toward the necessary preclinical toxicology study and ultimately the planned clinical trial targeting multiple myeloma," commented Bruce Galton, Senesco's President and CEO. "Polyplus' PEI technology is already being used in clinical oncology trials by other companies and we look forward to working with them and using their technology to deliver our Factor 5A technology."

"We are proud that Senesco has chosen our delivery system targeting multiple myeloma and that we have an agreement to supply the company according to this agreement" said Joëlle Bloch, CEO of Polyplus-transfection. "We are delighted that our "in vivo-jetPEI" will be used as delivery vehicle for a combination of siRNA and plasmid DNA in this therapeutic approach."


About Polyplus-transfection

Polyplus-transfection is focused on developing innovative solutions for delivery of biomolecules. The company has been marketing its transfection reagents worldwide since 2001 and is reinvesting most of its revenues in research and development.

Transfection consists in introducing a gene or a small interfering RNA into cells. This technique makes it possible to cross the cellular barriers and deliver such biomolecules into the cells for research or therapeutic purposes.

Customers of Polyplus-transfection's products and services include biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies as well as life science academic laboratories. Polyplus-transfection offers high quality consultancy, personalized scientific support and expertise in regulatory affairs related to the use of its reagents in clinical trials. Phases I/II cancer gene therapy and AIDS trials are underway in Israel, USA, Sweden and Germany using GMP-compliant reagents from Polyplus-transfection.

The Strasbourg-based company is recognized as a leading innovator in the transfection market, with ISO 9001:2000 certification, exclusive licenses from the CNRS and numerous patent applications pending. Polyplus-transfection R&D has well-established partnerships with biotech companies and is also involved in several European research collaboration networks, such as GIANT (Gene Therapy, an Integrated Approach to Neoplastic Treatment) and RIGHT (RNA Interference Technology as Human Therapeutic Tool).

Polyplus-transfection recently extended its field of expertise to the development of new cationic oligonucleotides, ZNA (Zip Nucleic Acid), for molecular biology and diagnostics.

For more information, visit: http://www.polyplus-transfection.com

About Senesco Technologies, Inc.

Senesco Technologies, Inc. is a U.S. biotechnology company, headquartered in New Brunswick, NJ, USA. Senesco has initiated preclinical research to trigger or delay cell death in mammals (apoptosis) to determine if the technology is applicable in human medicine. Accelerating apoptosis may have applications to development of cancer treatments. Delaying apoptosis may have applications to certain inflammatory and ischemic diseases.

Senesco takes its name from the scientific term for the aging of plant cells: senescence. Delaying cell breakdown in plants extends freshness after harvesting, while increasing crop yields, plant size and resistance to environmental stress. The Company believes that its technology can be used to develop superior strains of crops without any modification other than delaying natural plant senescence. Senesco has partnered with leading-edge companies engaged in agricultural biotechnology and earns research and development fees for applying its gene-regulating platform technology to enhance its partners' products.

For more information, visit: http://www.senesco.com

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Friday, 13 June 2008

siRNAsense chooses Polyplus-transfection's delivery system

The Norwegian company siRNAsense has chosen to collaborate with the French company Polyplus-transfection for delivery of their first drug candidate.

Oslo, Norway June 13, 2008 — siRNAsense today announces that the company has chosen to use Polyplus-transfection's "in vivo-jetPEI" delivery system for the systemic delivery of their drug candidate "siRNA targeting Tissue Factor" for treatment of melanoma metastasis. siRNAsense selected Polyplus´ delivery system after experimental validation of several potential delivery systems.


"We have chosen the Polyplus delivery system because we found it to be well suited for systemic delivery of our drug candidate against melanoma metastasis. This is a very important step for siRNAsense. Following encouraging efficacy data in a mouse model of metastasis, we are now proceeding with preclinical studies in mice and primates to further develop our drug candidate using Polyplus´ delivery system", says Hanne Mette Kristensen, CEO of siRNAsense.

siRNA is short for "small interfering RNA" and represents a major breakthrough in biology, whose potential therapeutic impact was recognized by the award of the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2006. siRNAsense's drug candidate is a synthetic siRNA that interferes with metastasis of melanoma, primarily by inhibiting circulating cancer cells' ability to attach to other cell membranes. For the drug to be efficient, it must be formulated in a vehicle which ensures delivery to the cancer cells. This is where Polyplus-transfection's technology has proven to be effective.

"We are delighted that siRNAsense has chosen our delivery system. We look forward to future collaboration with siRNAsense," said Joëlle Bloch, CEO of Polyplus-transfection. "It is an advantage for our "in vivo-jetPEI" to be used as delivery reagent for a new therapeutic target: the treatment of melanoma metastasis."


About siRNAsense
Find and fight the cause, not the symptoms.

siRNAsense AS is an exciting biotechnology company based on RNA interference research performed at The Biotechnology Centre of Oslo. The discovery of RNA interference is the basis for development of a new class of drugs targeting serious diseases. siRNAsense intends to become a significant player of biomedical innovation and early phase drug discovery and development within the field of RNA interference. The company will achieve this through research and development of drug candidates initially within the oncology area.

siRNAsense's first drug candidate is "siRNA targeting Tissue Factor". The drug candidate interferes with metastasis in cancer cells by blocking the cancer cells' ability to attach to other cell membranes. Over 90 per cent of cancer deaths are caused by metastasis. siRNAsense will now initiate clinical phase enabling studies with the lead drug candidate.

The company recently received a major grant from the Research Council of Norway to develop the drug candidate, and has also previously received support from the Council and the Norwegian Cancer Society. siRNAsense is a member of Oslo Cancer Cluster (OCC), a cluster comprising of 44 members with a total of 40 projects in the clinical pipeline. The company continues to enjoy close research collaboration with the Biotechnology Centre of Oslo.

siRNAsense has a good dialogue with several of the major pharma companies, and receives a lot of interest in its work. The business model is to license out from phase I/II clinical studies.

For more information visit http://www.sirnasense.com


About Polyplus-transfection

Polyplus-transfection is focused on developing innovative solutions for delivery of biomolecules. The company has been marketing its transfection reagents worldwide since 2001 and is reinvesting most of its revenues in research and development.

Transfection consists in introducing a gene or a small interfering RNA into cells. This technique makes it possible to cross the cellular barriers and deliver such biomolecules into the cells for research or therapeutic purposes.

Customers of Polyplus-transfection's products and services include biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies as well as life science academic laboratories. Polyplus-transfection offers high quality consultancy, personalized scientific support and expertise in regulatory affairs related to the use of its reagents in clinical trials. Phases I/II cancer gene therapy and AIDS trials are underway in Israel, USA, Sweden and Germany using GMP-compliant reagents from Polyplustransfection.

The Strasbourg-based company is recognized as a leading innovator in the transfection market, with ISO 9001:2000 certification, exclusive licenses from the CNRS and numerous patent applications pending.

Polyplus-transfection R&D has well-established partnerships with biotech companies and is also involved in several European research collaboration networks, such as GIANT (Gene Therapy, an Integrated Approach to Neoplastic Treatment) and RIGHT (RNA Interference Technology as Human Therapeutic Tool).

Polyplus-transfection recently extended its field of expertise to the development of new cationic oligonucleotides, ZNA (Zip Nucleic Acid), for molecular biology and diagnostics.

For more information, visit: http://www.polyplus-transfection.com


Source: Polyplus-transfection
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Thursday, 24 April 2008

Polyplus-transfection unveils a new technology that improves intracellular delivery of small interfering RNAs in vivo...

...and opens the way to new therapeutic possibilities

The "STICKY SIRNA"TM technology is already being tested in vivo by academic laboratories and biotech companies


Strasbourg, April 24th, 2008 — Polyplus-transfection, a company specialized in research, development and commercialization of innovative reagents for delivery of biomolecules, today announces the development of a new technology that improves in vivo delivery of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) when they are associated with a cationic polymer. This technology is based on a new class of small interfering RNAs the company has developed: "STICKY SIRNA"TM (ssiRNAsTM).

The technology involves extending the opposite ends of interfering RNAs with short complementary A(5-8)/T(5-8) 3' sequences that are able to form concatemers in the presence of a cationic polymer such as in vivo-jetPEITM (also developed by Polyplus-transfection) and thus form complexes as stable as with genes. With this new technology, small interfering RNAs stay connected to their delivery reagent during the whole journey to the target cells, and induce the RNA interference mechanism. This innovation is applicable to therapeutic siRNAs, and a wide variety of pathologies could benefit from it such as cancers, allergies and viral diseases.

Up to now, the market for the delivery of therapeutic siRNAs has been dominated by the use of cationic lipids. Thanks to this ssiRNATM technology, cationic polymers such as in vivo-jetPEITM have now entered the market with clear advantages in specific areas.

"We are proud of having developed this new technology, for which we have filed a broad patent application as well as a trademark application," said the C.E.O. of Polyplus-transfection," Joëlle Bloch. "Within a few months, we have succeeded in offering our customers two major therapeutic advances: a GMP-compliant delivery reagent, in vivo.jetPEITM, and a new means of delivering siRNAs associated with this reagent. Our customers have already shown a keen interest in these two developments, and ssiRNAsTM are starting to be tested in vivo by several academic laboratories and biotechnology companies."

Polyplus-transfection's new technology was outlined in an article published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America in October 2007 under the title "Sticky overhangs enhance siRNA-mediated gene silencing", volume 104, pages 16,050-16,055, Bolcato-Bellemin et al.


RNA interference (RNAi)

RNA interference is a natural mechanism that operates in cells and makes it possible to selectively silencing or regulating specific gene expression. The mechanism of RNA interference is a major discovery in biology, whose potential therapeutic impact was recognized by the award of the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2006. As many diseases are the result of the inappropriate activity of some genes, the ability to control these genes selectively through RNA interference has speeded up the understanding of the roles of these genes and their interrelations.

Since then, it has been shown that RNA interference could be a means of treating a large number of diseases. In effect, RNA interference can be induced by small, double-stranded RNA molecules called small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). Delivering these chemically synthesized molecules into cells is one of the means of activating RNA interference for therapeutic purposes, by targeting the messenger RNA of a gene to be knocked down. This process has the effect of stopping the production of a protein encoded by the target gene.

About Polyplus-transfection

Polyplus-transfection is focused on developing innovative solutions for delivery of biomolecules. The company has been marketing its transfection reagents worldwide since 2001 and is reinvesting most of its revenues in research and development.

Transfection consists in introducing a gene or a small interfering RNA into cells. This technique makes it possible to cross the cellular barriers and deliver such biomolecules into the cells for research or therapeutic purposes.

Customers of Polyplus-transfection's products and services include biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies as well as life science academic laboratories. Polyplus-transfection offers high quality consultancy, personalized scientific support and expertise in regulatory affairs related to the use of its reagents in clinical trials. Phases I/II cancer gene therapy and AIDS trials are underway in Israel, USA, Sweden and Germany using GMP-compliant reagents from Polyplus-transfection.

The Strasbourg-based company is recognized as a leading innovator in the transfection market, with ISO 9001:2000 certification, exclusive licenses from the CNRS and numerous patent applications pending.

Polyplus-transfection R&D has well-established partnerships with biotech companies and is also involved in several European research collaboration networks, such as GIANT (Gene Therapy, an Integrated Approach to Neoplastic Treatment) and RIGHT (RNA Interference Technology as Human Therapeutic Tool).

Polyplus-transfection recently extended its field of expertise to the development of new cationic oligonucleotides for molecular biology and diagnostics and is leading the corresponding OligoPlus research program.

For more information, visit: http://www.polyplus-transfection.com


Source: Polyplus-transfection
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Friday, 1 February 2008

Polyplus-transfection has produced the first GMP-quality clinical batch of its nucleic acid transfer reagent

Polyplus-transfection will deliver GMP-compliant in vivo-jetPEI for a Phase II clinical trial

Strasbourg, February 1st 2008 — Polyplus-transfection, a company specialized in the research, development and marketing of innovative reagents for transfection and RNA interference (RNAi), announces today the production of the first batch of its transfection reagent in vivo-jetPEI manufactured in full compliance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). This GMP-compliant in vivo-jetPEI is required for clinical trials involving nucleic acids delivery (DNA and siRNA).


Polyplus-transfection carried out preliminary work to transfer production to GMP-compliance in 2007 thanks to financial support from the AFM, France's Muscular Dystrophy Association. This has made it possible for a Phase II clinical trial to start in the field of cancer therapy this year using Polyplus' GMP-compliant in vivo-jetPEI. Details of the clinical trial have not yet been disclosed.

Polyplus-transfection offers its customers the possibility of using the same transfection reagent from the early stages of preclinical research to clinical trials in humans. The in vivo-jetPEI molecule is able to transfect effectively both in vitro and in vivo — which is not the case with most of the commercially available transfection reagents.

A Drug Master File (DMF) describing the manufacturing of in vivo-jetPEI has been filed with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The DMF provides confidential detailed information about the manufacturing process of the reagent, thus simplifying the FDA documentation required for clinical trial applications. "We are proud to have delivered this first GMP-compliant batch of in vivo-jetPEI and to have completed the production process transfer," said Joëlle Bloch, CEO of Polyplus-transfection. "The GMP-compliant availability of our leading product for human clinical use is a crucial advantage in the choice of a transfection agent for therapeutic projects. It will speed up the growth of all Polyplus' in vivo transfection agents." And she added: "We are eagerly awaiting the beginning of this Phase II clinical trial using in vivo-jetPEI that is scheduled for 2008 in the field of anti-cancer therapy."

The development of the in vivo-jetPEI GMP-compliant process has required the design of new quality control tests to meet the current requirements in the US and the EU.


About Polyplus-transfection

Polyplus-transfection is focused on developing innovative solutions for intracellular delivery of nucleic acids. The company has been marketing its transfection reagents worldwide since 2001 and is reinvesting most of its revenues into research and development. Transfection consists in introducing a gene or a small interfering RNA into cells. This technique makes it possible to cross the cellular barriers and deliver such biomolecules into the cell for research or therapeutic purposes.

Customers of Polyplus-transfection's products and services include biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies as well as life science academic laboratories. Polyplus-transfection offers high quality consultancy, personalized scientific support and expertise in regulatory affairs related to the use of its reagents in clinical trials. Phases I/II cancer gene therapy and AIDS trials are underway in Israel, USA, Sweden and Germany using GMP-compliant reagents from Polyplus-transfection.

Polyplus-transfection R&D has well-established partnerships with biotech companies and is also involved in several European research collaboration networks, such as GIANT (Gene Therapy, an Integrated Approach to Neoplastic Treatment) and RIGHT (RNA Interference Technology as Human Therapeutic Tool). The company also drives the OligoPlus research program for the "Therapeutic Innovations" Competitiveness Cluster, focusing on new tools for diagnostic.

The Strasbourg-based company is recognized as a leading innovator in the transfection market, with ISO 9001:2000 certification, three exclusive licenses from the CNRS and numerous patent filed.

For more information, visit: http://www.polyplus-transfection.com


Source: Polyplus-transfection
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Friday, 21 September 2007

Polyplus-transfection to supply RNAi therapeutic delivery technology to Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

Collaboration targets improving delivery of RNAi-based therapies

Strasbourg, France, September 21, 2007 — Polyplus-transfection, a company specialized in the research, development and marketing of innovative reagents for RNA interference (RNAi) and transfection, announced today that it has signed a collaboration agreement with Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, the leading RNAi therapeutics company, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.


Under the terms of the agreement, Polyplus-transfection will provide Alnylam with its RNAi therapeutic delivery solutions and share its expertise in formulation for siRNAs, the molecules that mediate RNAi, in vivo. Alnylam will evaluate Polyplus' formulations for delivery of RNAi therapeutics. Other terms were not disclosed.

The companies believe the collaboration has the potential to bring about improvements in the delivery of siRNA therapies. Although there has been significant progress in this area to date, creating delivery solutions for RNAi therapeutics remains an important component in realizing the full potential of this promising technology.

"As Alnylam is the leading RNAi therapeutics company, we at Polyplus-transfection are delighted to be collaborating with a firm at the cutting edge," said Joëlle Bloch, CEO of Polyplus-transfection. "A big advantage of this relationship is that Polyplus-transfection will benefit from having its chemical carriers tested in several disease models while working with the most advanced target sequences and mixed chemical siRNA modifications from Alnylam."

Polyplus-transfection is developing several in vivo siRNA formulation solutions based on its lead compounds in vivo-jetPEI (now GMP available) and INTERFERin, as well as on an original RNA modification, sticky siRNA (ssiRNA).


RNA interference (RNAi)

RNA interference (or RNAi) is a naturally occurring mechanism within cells for selectively silencing and regulating specific genes. The discovery of RNAi has been widely acknowledged as a major breakthrough in biology, and the technology was recognized for its potential broad impact in medicine with the award of the 2006 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. Since many diseases are caused by the inappropriate activity of specific genes, the ability to silence genes selectively through RNAi has accelerated the understanding of these genes and their related pathways. Additionally, RNAi could provide a new way to treat a wide range of human diseases. RNAi is induced by small, double-stranded RNA molecules. One method to activate RNAi is with chemically synthesized small interfering RNAs, or siRNAs, which are double-stranded RNAs that are targeted to a specific disease-associated gene. The siRNA molecules are used by the natural RNAi machinery in cells to cause targeted gene silencing.

About Polyplus-transfection

Polyplus-transfection is focused on developing innovative solutions for intracellular delivery of nucleic acids. The company has been marketing its transfection reagents worldwide since 2001 and is reinvesting most of its revenues into research and development. Transfection consists in introducing a gene or a small interfering RNA into cells. This technique makes it possible to cross the cellular barriers and deliver such biomolecules into the cell for research or therapeutic purposes.

Customers of Polyplus-transfection's products and services include biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies as well as life science academic laboratories. Polyplus-transfection offers high quality consultancy, personalized scientific support and expertise in regulatory affairs related to the use of its reagents in clinical trials. Phases I/II cancer gene therapy and AIDS trials are underway in Israel, USA, Sweden and Germany using GMP-compliant reagents from Polyplus-transfection.

Polyplus-transfection R&D has well-established partnerships with biotech companies and is also involved in several European research collaboration networks, such as GIANT (Gene Therapy, an Integrated Approach to Neoplastic Treatment) and RIGHT (RNA Interference Technology as Human Therapeutic Tool). The company also drives the OligoPlus research program for the "Therapeutic Innovations" Competitiveness Cluster, focusing on new tools for diagnostic.

The Strasbourg-based company is recognized as a leading innovator in the transfection market, with ISO 9001:2000 certification, three exclusive licenses from the CNRS and numerous patent filed.

For more information, visit: http://www.polyplus-transfection.com


Source: Polyplus-transfection
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Thursday, 7 June 2007

Polyplus-transfection launches "Polyplus in vivo Consortium" to speed development of gene therapy clinical trials

Innovative reagent specialist forms network of researchers and clinicians using Polyplus' synthetic gene transfer reagents

Strasbourg, France, June 7, 2007 — Polyplus-transfection, a company specializing in research, development and marketing of innovative reagents for drug delivery, gene therapy and transfection announces today that it is setting up a group called the "Polyplus in vivo Consortium". This group will be developed on a user group model and bring together research scientists and clinicians in an international network of users of Polyplus-transfection's gene therapy reagents. Polyplus-transfection expects the new group to increase the number of clinical trials using its synthetic gene transfer reagents and accelerate their development.


The Polyplus in vivo Consortium aims at letting users of Polyplus-transfection's products and solutions share their experience to accelerate the implementation of clinical trials and give them access to Polyplus-transfection's latest technology. The company plans to organize regular meetings and workshops and will actively support the Polyplus in vivo Consortium members in their preclinical and clinical therapeutic projects. Members will benefit from personalized support, from Polyplus-transfection's expertise regarding in vivo delivery as well as preferential conditions for products used for therapeutic development. Among other services, Polyplus-transfection will supply appropriate certificates of analysis for preclinical and toxicology studies.

Polyplus-transfection's in vivo-jetPEI compound will play a key role in the Consortium. It is derived from the synthetic molecule polyethylenimine (PEI) for which Polyplus-transfection holds the exclusive worldwide license for the transfection of nucleic acids. In vivo-jetPEI is widely used for in vivo experiments. It allows intracellular delivery of nucleic acids and has become a benchmark in gene delivery.

"The Polyplus in vivo Consortium will make research and development of gene therapy applications easier," said Joëlle Bloch, CEO of Polyplus-transfection. "The project meets a real need that was revealed by the first clinical research teams using our products. It will allow Polyplus-transfection to build a true network where users of our transfection reagents can exchange know-how and experience. This network will help our customers get their clinical trials under way and also help Polyplus-transfection develop solutions that suit users' needs."


About Polyplus-transfection

Polyplus-transfection researches, develops and markets products for drug delivery, gene therapy and innovative transfection reagents. Transfection consists of introducing a gene or a small interfering RNA into a cell. This technique makes it possible to cross the cellular barriers and deliver such biomolecules into the cell for scientific or therapeutic purposes. Customers for Polyplus-transfection's products and services include biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies as well as life science research laboratories.

In addition to transfection reagents for research, Polyplus-transfection offers high quality consultancy and personalized scientific support. The company has acquired expertise in regulatory affairs related to the use of its reagents for gene delivery in clinical trials.

The Strasbourg-based company has 20 members of staff, an international distribution network and numerous academic and industrial partnerships. Polyplus-transfection is one of the technology leaders in the transfection market with ISO 9001:2000 certification, three exclusive licenses from the CNRS and six patents filed.

For more information, visit: http://www.polyplus-transfection.com


Source: Polyplus-transfection
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Monday, 14 May 2007

Polyplus-transfection obtains an AFM grant for the development of its gene/drug delivery tool for clinical applications

Strasbourg, France, May 14, 2007 — Polyplus-transfection, a company specialized in research, development and marketing of innovative reagents for drug delivery, gene therapy and transfection, announces today that it has obtained a EUR 80,000 grant from AFM (Association Française contre les Myopathies), France’s Muscular Dystrophy Association. The grant will finance the cGMP (current good manufacturing practices) compliant production process of its in vivo-jetPEITM reagent, thus enabling its use in gene therapy.

Polyplus-transfection believes this upgrade to the cGMP production process will accelerate the use of in vivo-jetPEITM in gene therapy clinical trials in humans. The funding also covers the development of new quality control procedures as well as stability studies.

In vivo-jetPEITM is a synthetic molecule, polyethylenimine (PEI). PEI is a cationic linear polymer recognized as being the most effective reagent on the market for in vivo delivery of nucleic acids. With in vivo-jetPEITM, Polyplus-transfection offers clinicians an alternative technology for gene therapy to the commonly used viral approach using deactivated viruses. In vivo-jetPEITM is easy to use and does not trigger an immune response, a huge advantage compared to viruses which are very immunogenic and do not allow repeated use.

"Today Polyplus-transfection offers the only solution on the market to deliver genetic material using a synthetic molecule instead of a virus," said Joëlle Bloch, CEO of Polyplus-transfection. "With the help of the AFM funding for the development of a cGMP production process, in vivo-jetPEITM will be available to customers for use in clinical trials. This new gene/drug delivery tool represents a new hope for patients."

"At Polyplus-transfection we believe that this new process will accelerate our growth as well as demonstrate our expertise in the field of gene delivery, offering a serious alterative to viral approaches and emphasize the strength of our reagents for in vivo assays."


About Polyplus-transfection

Polyplus-transfection researches, develops and markets products for drug delivery, gene therapy and innovative transfection reagents. Transfection consists of introducing a gene or a small interfering RNA into a cell. This technique makes it possible to cross the cellular barriers and deliver such biomolecules into the cell for scientific or therapeutic purposes. Customers for Polyplus-transfection’s products and services include biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies as well as life science research laboratories.

In addition to transfection reagents for research, Polyplus-transfection offers high quality consultancy and personalized scientific support. The company has acquired expertise in regulatory affairs related to the use of its reagents for the delivery of gene candidates in clinical trials.

The Strasbourg-based company has a 20 members of staff, an international distribution network and numerous academic and industrial partnerships. Polyplus-transfection is one of the technology leaders in the transfection market with ISO 9001:2000 certification, three exclusive licenses from the CNRS and six patents filed.

For more information, visit: http://www.polyplus-transfection.com


Source: Polyplus-transfection
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