Biotage (STO: BIOT), a leading supplier of tools and technology for analytical and medicinal chemistry, announced a collaborative research agreement with The Laboratory of Peptide & Protein Chemistry & Biology (PeptLab) located in Florence, Italy. The renowned peptide research facility, led by Professor Anna Maria Papini, has agreed to contribute technical input towards the future development of Biotage related products as well as provide training facilities for demonstrating Biotage's range of peptide synthesis, purification and resin products.

PeptLab is an interdepartmental structure of the University of Florence, located at the Polo Scientifico e Tecnologico in Sesto Fiorentino, founded in 2004 by Professor Paolo Rovero (Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences), Professor Anna Maria Papini and Dr. Mario Chelli (Dept. of Organic Chemistry ‘Ugo Schiff'), and Professor Francesco Lolli (Dept. of Neurological Sciences).

Since 2009, the PeptLab proof-of-concept incorporated the French Laboratory, SOSCO of the University of Cergy-Pontoise (where expertise in glycol-chemistry and fluorine chemistry are present). This was made possible thanks to a Chaire d'Excellence provided to Prof. Papini and financial support from the French Agence Nationale de la Recherche, with the idea of organizing a European Innovation Network to introduce a "Quality Approach" as an innovative strategy for R&D activities in Academic Laboratories and SMEs, providing Good Practice Guidance initially in the field of peptide-based diagnostics. 

"Biotage is very fortunate to have the opportunity to collaborate with Professor Papini and the PeptLab team." said Torben Jörgensen, President and CEO of Biotage AB, "We are all very excited by the opportunity to work with this prestigious group and are looking forward to our collaboration across a wide range of activities."

Prof. Papini remarked that "It is evident that the cooperation with Biotage fits perfectly with our goals both within PeptLab itself and the wider framework of the European Innovation Network. It is for this reason that we decided to invest in the Biotage Syro II and Syro Wave® parallel peptide synthesizers for our SOSCO Laboratory in Cergy-Pontiose. These innovative tools allow us to significantly increase our peptide production as well as provide access the more challenging peptides via the microwave heating capability of the Syro Wave®. Such state-of-the-art equipment, along with a strong commitment not only in research, but also to education and technology transfer are characteristics of the PeptLab life and the collaboration with Biotage". 

For more information on the Biotage Peptide Purification and Synthesis products, please email product_info@biotage.com or visit www.biotage.com/peptides . 

For more information regarding the Laboratory of Peptide and Protein Chemistry and Biology (PeptLab), visit www.unifi.it/peptlab.