Syrrx and RTS Announce Partnership To Sell High Throughput Structural Biology Automation Solutions
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 1, 2003--Syrrx Inc. and RTS Life Science International (RTS) have announced a partnership to develop and market the HTSB Factory(TM), integrated instrumentation for high throughput structural biology.
Dr. Wendell Wierenga, chief executive officer for Syrrx explained: "Building on Syrrx's extensive experience using automation for protein crystallography on an industrial scale, we have linked up with RTS to develop the next generation of automation. Central to the HTSB Factory is Syrrx's patented submicroliter crystallization format, as well as the informatics that Syrrx uses for its own research, which allows the user to set-up hundreds of thousands of experiments for a target and increase the crystallization rate significantly. RTS has an enviable track record of delivering quality automation solutions to the pharmaceutical industry."
Syrrx has deployed its structural biology automation to conduct over six million crystallization trials during the past 18 months using the submicroliter crystallization format. The integrated, automated, high throughput approach that Syrrx has taken to structural biology has yielded numerous otherwise refractory protein structures including DPPIV, histone deacetylase and difficult to solve kinases and nuclear hormone receptors. The information provided by these structures and their use in co-crystallography with lead compounds has greatly enhanced the productivity of Syrrx medicinal chemists in its drug discovery programs.
Alan Wyatt, RTS Life Science's managing director commented: "In the past, protein crystallography was repetitive and slow, hampered by a lack of automation. Having transformed HTS over the last few years, RTS believes that this partnership will do the same in structural biology. Nanovolume crystallization(TM) accelerates protein crystal formation tenfold and when harnessed to a fully integrated and automated crystallization imaging process the results are startling. For example, 576 crystallization trials can be conducted with just 0.1ml of protein and 19,200 crystallization trials can be prepared in a shift by a single technician."
About Syrrx Inc.
Based in San Diego, Syrrx is a drug discovery company at the forefront of rational drug discovery and is currently developing therapeutics to treat cancer, metabolic diseases and inflammation. Syrrx leverages high-throughput structure determination, screening, combinatorial and medicinal chemistry together with computational methods to discover novel small molecule drug leads. Syrrx has collaborations with industry leaders, including Sankyo Co. Ltd., Hoffman-La Roche Ltd., Pharmacia Corp., Celera Genomics Group, and Cubist Pharmaceuticals.
For more information, visit the Syrrx Web site at syrrx.com.
About RTS Life Science International
The RTS Group specializes in providing software, automation systems and equipment for a range of sophisticated manufacturing and scientific processes, including nuclear engineering, life sciences and industrial automation. Deploying unique technologies to meet client specific requirements, RTS utilizes state-of-the-art technology and know-how alongside proven engineering practices to provide the optimum automated solution. Extensive industrial and scientific experience exists throughout the Group and the company operates globally, with offices and manufacturing facilities throughout the US and the U.K.
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Contact:
Syrrx Inc.
Ken Goodwill, 858/731-3564
ken.goodwill@syrrx.com
www.syrrx.com
or
RTS Life Science International Marketing
Victoria Adamson, +44 (0) 161 777 2000
victoria.adamson@rtsthurnall.co.uk
www.rtslifescience.com |
