Polyplus-transfection seeks partners for detection probes

Partnership opportunity

Strasbourg-based Polyplus-transfection, a spin-out from France’s CNRS, is looking for partners to develop applications for a new and proprietary class of cationic oligonucleotides that it has developed, which it has christened ZNA.

The company has proof of concept, which shows that using ZNA as detection probes improves the performance of PCR technology. In particular, ZNA increases the sensitivity of tests and the ability to detect mutations.

Polyplus says ZNA probes are easy to design and will cost less to produce. The probes offer an increased affinity for nucleic acids, without losing selectivity and are therefore expected to improve the performance of other molecular hybridisation techniques such as in situ hybridisation and microarrays. They could also be used for in vitro detection of micro-RNAs.

“Polyplus is extending its activities from transfection reagents to molecular biology tools for research and diagnostics,” said Joëlle Bloch, CEO. “We are also actively seeking partners to help us develop a range of applications for ZNA.”