SANTA CRUZ, Calif., April 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Tosk, Inc. today announced the issuance of U.S. patent number 6,291,243 (P element derived vector and methods for its use) covering the use of its StealthGene(TM) vector in all non-insect cell types.
StealthGene is a modified version of the P transposable element. The P transposable element has been used for gene delivery in fruit flies for the last 15 years, and the StealthGene modification brings this same utility to other systems including a variety of rodent, avian, and human cell types. The patent for using the traditional P transposable element to deliver DNA into fruit fly embryos is currently exclusively licensed from Carnegie Institution of Washington by Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL).
``This patent represents the first in a series of patents that will position StealthGene as the vector of choice for delivery of DNA to all non-fly cells,'' said Dr. Patrick Fogarty, chief executive officer of Tosk, Inc., and lead inventor on the patent. ``StealthGene will enable the same vast array of manipulations in non-insect cells that have been routine in fruit flies with the P transposable element for the last 15 years. StealthGene bundles the advantages of DNA-based gene delivery vectors with the ability to integrate into the genome for long-term, sustainable gene expression,'' Fogarty continued.
About Tosk
Tosk, Inc. is an early-stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery of drugs for the treatment of metastatic cancer and neurodegeneration based on their activity in its proprietary animal models. These animal models are not only designed to identify drugs with exceptional activity and minimal toxicity, but also to identify drugs that translate well into humans. Tosk calls this process ``discoveration'' because it combines discovery with validation into one step. Tosk's portfolio of technologies blends animal science with high throughput capacity. Tosk's pipeline currently contains over a dozen validated preclinical compounds.
CONTACT: Dr. Patrick Fogarty of Tosk, Inc., +1-831-426-6808, or pfogarty@tosk.com. |
