genOway takes license to Institute of Genetics technology

28 Oct 2009 | News

Licensing

genOway of Lyon, France, a specialist in the development of genetically modified animal models, has signed of an exclusive license for Flex technology developed at the Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology (IGBMC) in Strasbourg. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The Flex technology, which combines a recombinase system with genetic modification, enables a mutation to be induced in a selected target tissue at a precise moment in time. Therefore, it has the potential to become an essential tool for modelling the appearance of mutations in human diseases.

Alexandre Fraichard, CEO of genOway, said, “This technology is very important for the development of animal models that are more predictive of human diseases. It can mimic the appearance of mutations and, therefore, helping to build understanding of the consequences of this, for biological and pathological (or not) processes.”

Fraichard added that there is already a great deal of interest from the pharmaceutical industry for this technology and he expects to sign the first contracts this year.

The Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology was founded in October 1994 and since January 2001 has been a joint research unit run by CNRS, INSERM, and the Université Louis Pasteur. It specialises in the control of gene expression and the analysis of gene and protein function in human disease.

genOway specialises in developing genetically modified research models for the bio-pharmaceutical, chemical, agrochemical and food industry as well as for academic research.

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