Archemix and SomaLogic Align to Advance the Use of Aptamers
Alliance Promotes Development of Novel Diagnostics and Therapeutics
Two of the exclusive licensees of aptamer technology, Archemix Corp., a privately held biopharmaceutical company, and SomaLogic, Inc., a privately held proteomics company, announced today an alliance that will facilitate the broad use of aptamers as powerful tools in the diagnosis and treatment of disease.
This alliance clarifies the specific areas in which each company will operate exclusively: SomaLogic holds the exclusive rights to aptamer-based diagnostics and ex vivo detection applications, while Archemix is the exclusive holder of broad rights to aptamer therapeutics. The companies have also agreed to cross-license rights for target validation and drug screening. This agreement will facilitate strategic partnerships with other life science companies and scientists pursuing aptamer-based research and development.
In addition to forging a collaborative bond between the two companies, both companies have agreed to jointly maintain, expand, and defend the aptamer patent estate. Consisting of more than 150 patents and 100 patent applications, this portfolio is the single dominant body of patents covering the selection and use of aptamers.
"This is a significant accomplishment that will allow each company to maximize the potential of aptamer technology in its respective area of expertise," stated Dr. Larry Gold, SomaLogic's Chairman of the Board, Chief Scientific Officer, and the inventor of aptamers. "The alliance provides SomaLogic, Archemix and their collaborators clarity and freedom to operate in their respective fields. SomaLogic and Archemix are the only sources for aptamer technology licenses for research, ex vivo and therapeutic applications."
"Aptamers hold the potential for groundbreaking therapeutic advances," said Dr. Martin Stanton, Executive Vice President and Founder of Archemix. "This alliance extends the use of aptamers and protects the intellectual property that governs their use. We look forward to a steady stream of therapeutic and diagnostic advances in the years to come that will not only add value to our companies, but more importantly, improve the treatment of disease."
Aptamers are selected, single-stranded nucleic acids that form well-defined three-dimensional shapes, allowing them to bind target molecules with extraordinary affinity and specificity, providing the basis for a broad range of applications. Aptamers have been generated against targets implicated in a wide range of diseases, including those currently addressed by monoclonal antibodies, providing the basis for use in diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
SomaLogic is currently developing aptamer-based systems and applications to reveal the complex relationships between proteins and disease. The foundation for this effort is the company's proprietary photoaptamer technology, including photoaptamer arrays that can measure large numbers of proteins-eventually, thousands-simultaneously. This effort is expected to provide unprecedented insights into the molecular basis of disease and health, enhance the treatment and diagnosis of disease, and accelerate the development of new drugs.
Archemix is leading the development of aptamers as a new class of directed therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of chronic and acute disease. Aptamers, because of their unique properties, promise to provide an alternative to conventional therapeutic approaches and can potentially be used in a wide range of disease areas, including many of those currently addressed by protein-based therapeutics.
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