publication date: Jun 29, 2011
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author/source: kdm communications ltd
Sigma Life
Science, the innovative biological products and services research business of
Sigma-Aldrich
® (Nasdaq:SIAL), and King's College London, today
announced an exclusive license to develop and commercialize new technology for
the identification and validation of microRNA (miRNA) targets in research and
clinical diagnostics. For more detailed information, visit
www.wherebiobegins.com.
miRNAs function as critical
regulators of gene expression in eukaryotic cells, with over 1,000 different
miRNAs in the human genome already known to play multiple roles in gene
regulation. Although the specific targets of most miRNAs are largely unknown,
aberrant expression of miRNAs has been implicated in numerous disease states,
making them important targets for clinical research in oncology, wound healing
and infectious disease.
Currently, identification of miRNA
targets is laborious and inefficient, relying on computer algorithms and
subsequent validation by
in vitro assays. To overcome this research
bottleneck, scientists in the Division of Cancer Studies at King's have
developed a technology allowing simple, accurate identification and validation
of miRNA targets. Dr. Joop Gaken, lead researcher of this project, explained:
"The role of miRNAs in cancer is well established, and several miRNAs clearly
function as either oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes, although the target
genes are unknown in the majority of cases. This new test is expected to enable
the straightforward identification of target genes that are strongly regulated
by a given miRNA, helping to elucidate important gene regulation events
in
vivo."
"miRNA research
is a rapidly growing field, and this test is expected to be an invaluable asset
to commercial and academic researchers working with miRNAs," commented Steven
Suchyta, Market Segment Manager at Sigma-Aldrich. "We believe that the
exclusive license agreement will allow Sigma Life Science and King's College
London to work closely together to ensure rapid development of this technology
for the benefit of the research community, and underlines our commitment to
accelerating scientific discovery through innovative technology."
Cautionary
statement:
The foregoing release contains forward-looking statements that can be
identified by terminology such as "ensures," "is responding to," "is expected
to," "will allow," or similar expressions, or by expressed or implied
discussions regarding potential future revenues from products derived
therefrom. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such
forward-looking statements reflect the current views of management regarding
future events, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any
future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements.
There can be no guarantee that the miRNA Target Identification Library will
continue to meet the demands of the marketplace. Nor can there be any guarantee
that any of the products from the miRNA Target Identification Library will
achieve any particular levels of revenue in the future. In particular,
management's expectations regarding the miRNA Target Identification Library
could be affected by, among other things, unexpected regulatory actions or
delays or government regulation generally; the Company's ability to obtain or
maintain patent or other proprietary intellectual property protection;
competition in general; government, industry and general public pricing
pressures; the impact that the foregoing factors could have on the values
attributed to the Company's assets and liabilities as recorded in its
consolidated balance sheet, and other risks and factors referred to in
Sigma-Aldrich's current Form 10-K on file with the US Securities and Exchange
Commission. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or
should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary
materially from those anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.
Sigma-Aldrich is providing the information in this press release as of this
date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking
statements contained in this press release as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.
About Sigma Life Science: Sigma Life Science is a Sigma-Aldrich
business that represents the Company's leadership in innovative biological
products and services for the global life science market and offers an array of
biologically-rich products and reagents that researchers use in scientific
investigation. Product areas include biomolecules, genomics and functional
genomics, cells and cell-based assays, transgenics, protein assays, stem cell
research, epigenetics and custom services/oligonucleotides. Sigma Life Science
also provides an extensive range critical bioessentials like biochemicals, antibiotics,
buffers, carbohydrates, enzymes, forensic tools, hematology and histology,
nucleotides, amino acids and their derivatives, and cell culture media.
About Sigma-Aldrich: Sigma-Aldrich is a leading Life
Science and High Technology company committed to Enabling Science to Improve
the Quality of Life. Its chemical and biochemical products and kits are used in
scientific research, including genomic and proteomic research, biotechnology,
pharmaceutical development and as key components in pharmaceutical, diagnostic
and other high technology manufacturing. The Company has customers in life
science companies, university and government institutions, hospitals, and in
industry. Over one million scientists and technologists use its products.
Sigma-Aldrich operates in 40 countries and has 8,000 employees providing
excellent service worldwide. For more information about Sigma-Aldrich, please
visit its award-winning Web site at
http://www.sigma-aldrich.com.
Sigma-Aldrich and Sigma
are registered trademarks of Sigma-Aldrich and its affiliate Sigma-Aldrich
Biotechnology, L.P.
About King's College London: King's College London is one of the
top 25 universities in the world (2010 QS international world rankings), The Sunday
Times 'University of the Year 2010/11' and the fourth oldest in England. A
research-led university based in the heart of London, it has nearly 23,500
students (of whom nearly 9,000 are graduate students) from 140 countries and
approximately 6,000 employees. The College is in the top seven UK universities
for research earnings and has an overall annual income of nearly £450 million.
For more information about King's College London, please visit
www.kcl.ac.uk