Axon Instruments Announces That Geron Corporation Has Joined Consortium For Developing High-Throughput Drug Discovery System
November 10, 1999 6:05 PM
FOSTER CITY, Calif., Nov. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Axon Instruments, Inc., a privately held developer of instrumentation and software for cellular neuroscience, genomics and drug discovery, today announced that Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN) has joined Axon's CellPix consortium to develop a cellular resolution, high-throughput imaging system for drug discovery. Geron becomes the second member of the consortium, and under the agreement will provide ongoing testing and feedback during the development process. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The CellPix 5000 is a large-format epi-fluorescence microscope with fully integrated control and analysis software for imaging cells in multi-well plates. CellPix provides sufficient resolution to image cellular and subcellular structures, including cells, clusters of cells, cell membranes, cytoplasm, nuclei, and cytoskeletal elements (e.g., mitotic spindle, microtubule bundles).
CellPix will serve the drug discovery industry in the development of new assays and targets to be exploited in high-throughput screening; it will also be used as a higher-throughput screening system itself. CellPix could also be used in a variety of academic settings, such as automatic cell counting in neuronal tissue sections. Axon expects to provide CellPix in a number of configurations, including a single device plus workstation operated locally, or multiple CellPix systems linked together and controlled remotely over a high-speed network.
"Geron Corporation's experience with varied novel human cell types and with automated screening technology perfectly complements Axon's expertise in advanced cellular imaging hardware and software," said Andy Blatz, Ph.D., Axon's Director of Cell-Based Screening Technology. "Geron is an exciting addition to the consortium, and their participation should accelerate the development of CellPix."
Calvin Harley, Ph.D., Geron's Chief Scientific Officer, added "Our collaboration with Axon Instruments is an opportunity for us to participate in and benefit from the development of a powerful new tool for drug discovery, functional genomics, and the study of cellular differentiation."
Axon Instruments, Inc., located in Foster City, CA and founded in 1983, is widely recognized as the world's pre-eminent manufacturer of hardware and software products for the cellular neurosciences research community. Axon also manufactures the highly regarded GenePix 4000A DNA microarray scanner and software system. Axon's goal is to produce a range of superior yet affordable instrument and software systems for drug discovery and diagnostics, aimed at the pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology companies and academic researchers. Geron Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company focusing on discovering, developing and commercializing therapeutic and diagnostic products to treat cancer and other age-related chronic degenerative diseases. Geron's technology platform includes the discovery of small molecule inhibitors of telomerase for cancer therapy; telomere and telomerase-based research and diagnostic tools; telomerase activation to extend the replicative lifespan of normal cells; and complementary stem cell, gene therapy and nuclear transfer approaches to restore the function of degenerating organs.
CONTACT: Andy Blatz, Director of Cell-Based Screening Technology of Axon Instruments, Inc., 650-286 6214, 650-571-9500, or andyb@axon.com
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