NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – WaferGen Biosystems said today that its SmartChip Real-Time PCR System will be used in preclinical and clinical studies of ImmuneRegen's wound-healing drug candidate Homspera.
The studies will be carried out by researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. They will use the SmartChip system to validate relevant gene expression biomarkers and to assess their impact on patient response to treatment.
"We expect this collaboration to provide a clear demonstration of the value that the SmartChip system can offer in the area of drug discovery and development, particularly as it pertains to harnessing the potential of biomarkers," Alnoor Shivji, chairman and CEO of WaferGen, said in a statement.
Fremont, Calif.-based WaferGen and UT Southwestern are already collaborating on a study to identify and validate biomarkers related to wound healing, and they also will study the impact of those biomarkers on patient response to treatment. That pact is separate from the one announced today.