Boehringer Licenses SBI’s Variant Protein Database
The Canadian subsidiary of Boehringer Ingelheim has agreed to license Structural Bioinformatics’ Variome database for use in its HIV drug discovery program, the companies said Dec. 17.
Laval, Quebec-based Boehringer will use the database, which contains more than 100,000 3D variant protein structures, to “see if it is helpful in designing new molecules” that inhibit drug resistant variants encoded by the HIV virus, said James Chafouleas, manager of R&D licensing and business support at Boehringer.
San Diego-based SBI generated the protein structures in the database from viral genotypes taken from patients, in collaboration with Quest Diagnostics, the company said.
Syrrx Closes $18.5 Million Private Equity Round
Syrrx said Dec. 26 it received $18.5 million in its latest round of private equity funding.
The investment, led by Zurich-based HBM Partners, brings to $98.5 million Syrxx’s total equity-investment pot, according to the company.
“Along with the $20 million debt financing arranged for our new facility earlier this year, this round of financing will assure investors that our operating funds will allow for the completion of our strategic plan through 2004,” Norman Halleen, CFO of Syrrx, said in a statement.
Two weeks ago, Syrrx, based in San Diego, announced a research collaboration with Celera Genomics under which Syrrx will receive a series of R&D payments to determine the three-dimensional structures of proteins identified by Celera as potential drug targets.
Former ABI / MDS Sciex Exec Joins Advion in Europe
Advion Biosciences has opened an office in Norfolk, England, and hired Mark Allen to direct the company’s European business operations, the company said Dec. 18.
In Norfolk, Allen will be responsible for the European launch of the company’s ESI chip, a product that allows automated nanospray injection of a sample into a mass spectrometer without cross-contamination, said Tom Kurz, COO of Ithaca, NY-based Advion. Kurz said Allen would also be responsible for overseeing sales, business development, and the installation and support of the ESI chip systems.
Allen most recently served as director of business development responsible for product strategy at the MDS Sciex / ABI joint venture.
Hybrigenics Selects Prolinx Dye Terminator Technology
Prolinx said Dec. 27 that Hybrigenics has chosen the RapXtract dye terminator technology for use in DNA sequencing.
The technology will allow Paris-based Hybrigenics to automate the preparation of production sequencing samples using a 384-well platform. The RapXtract product utilizes a superparamagnetic particle that binds to contaminating dye labels, and does not require centrifugation or other time-consuming steps to separate impurities. Merck Eurolab distributes the RapXtract product in France.