GeneProt and Zymark Reach Automation Technology Agreement for U.S. and Europe

06-Mar-2002
North Brunswick, NJ and Hopkinton, MA - March 04, 2002 - GeneProt, Inc. and Zymark® Corporation announced today that they have entered into an agreement in which Zymark is named as an exclusive automation provider to GeneProt in the U.S. and Europe. Concurrently with this agreement, Zymark will make an equity investment in GeneProt. The agreement provides for GeneProt to make an initial purchase of Zymark automation technologies. GeneProt will install two Zymark Staccato™ proteomics Systems at its new industrial-scale proteomics facility in North Brunswick, NJ, currently being constructed, and two additional systems at its proteomics discovery and production center in Geneva, Switzerland. GeneProt has also granted Zymark non-exclusive licensed access to specific research discovery content for Zymark's internal use that is not competitive with GeneProt or GeneProt's pharmaceutical and diagnostic partners. Zymark will also have the right of first negotiation to use this research discovery content to develop and sell consumable application kits for the Life Sciences market. GeneProt and Zymark will also collaborate on the development of next generation automation instrumentation. The Staccato Proteomics System provides a key interface to GeneProt's industrial scale proteomics processes. Each system will automate in-gel protein digestion, all liquid handling steps as well as prepare protein and peptide samples for direct analysis by mass spectrometry. At the heart of each system are Zymark's Sciclone Advanced Liquid Handler, Twister® II Advanced Capability Microplate Handler, TurboVap® Concentration Workstation, and automated Incubator 44. Each of these components is connected and managed by Zymark's revolutionary CLARA™ system integration software. "Further automation of GeneProt's protein identification and analysis processes brings additional speed and accuracy to the work we undertake for our pharmaceutical partners," said Cédric Loiret-Bernal, M.D., GeneProt's chief executive officer. "This is key to the delivery of synthesized proteins with high potential in the development of new human therapies. Our new partnership with Zymark confirms our commitment to employ the best technologies available in proteomics research and discoveries," added Loiret-Bernal. "GeneProt's leading proteomics applications represent a great opportunity for us to utilize our existing platforms as well as develop technologies with the potential to further revolutionize the proteomics field," said Kevin Hrusovsky, Zymark President and CEO. "There is a great demand for high throughput and automated analysis methods in proteomics. GeneProt's choice of Zymark as the company's preferred U.S. and European provider of sample preparation automation technology demonstrates that our systems provide the optimum balance of throughput and robustness required to advance the entire field of proteomics."

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Mass spectrometry enables us to detect and identify molecules and reveal their structure. Whether in chemistry, biochemistry or forensics - mass spectrometry opens up unexpected insights into the composition of our world. Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of mass spectrometry!

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