Curiox Biosystems Partners with Singapore to Validate the New DropArray™ Technology for Use in Immunoassays

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Apr 01, 2015, 12:45 ET

SAN CARLOS, Calif., April 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Curiox Biosystems, a leader in miniaturized multiplex technology, announces two successful research collaborations with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, to validate the Curiox Biosystems DropArray system, a novel technology developed to make immunomonitoring more cost-efficient.

The first collaboration is with the Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), a research institute under A*STAR. Under the research collaboration, SIgN implemented the Curiox Biosystems DropArray system on the institute's clinical immunomonitoring platform to validate the utility of the technology in Luminex® assays[1]. Luminex assays use color-coded beads to multiplex up to 500 unique bioassays within a single sample, enabling scientists to simultaneously measure multiple analytes.

Dr. Anis Larbi, Principal Investigator and Dr. Brian Abel of the Clinical Immunomonitoring Platform at SIgN, have successfully tested the DropArray system, which shows a 5-fold miniaturization of Luminex assays with respect to expensive assay reagent volumes and clinical sample usage. The team at SIgN has also been executing their clinical assays on the system, achieving 65% savings in overall assay costs as well as reducing the usage of valuable clinical samples. The results collectively highlight the potential of the DropArray system to bring about major cost savings in immunomonitoring, which involves the sophisticated analysis of the human immune response. Moving forward, the team plans to routinely employ the system to minimize sample and reagent usage from Luminex bead-based multiplexing kits.

The second collaboration with A*STAR is with Dr. Frederic Bard, Senior Principal Investigator of A*STAR's Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology (IMCB). Dr. Bard's laboratory has established a genome-wide RNAi screening programme, focused on membrane trafficking regulation, Golgi organization, and Golgi signaling to control protein glycosylation in health and diseases. His team has been optimizing the DropArray system for RNA transfection with suspension cells.

"The DropArray system will benefit our research dramatically. We frequently perform multiplexing assays on the Platform and the data quality obtained with the DropArray system on the Luminex has been excellent," Prof. Laurent Renia, Executive Director of SIgN said. "The strikingly reduced cost and sample requirements for the DropArray system have enabled us to generate much more data with significant cost savings for the Platform, and consequently for our collaborators."

Dr. Namyong Kim, CEO of Curiox Biosystems, has been managing these collaborations. "We are very pleased with the outcome of the research collaborations we have formed. Our DropArray technology expands the utility of multiplex analysis by enabling analytes to be screened in as little as 10ul well. The results from these collaborations demonstrate that the DropArray system is a critical next-generation tool for the expanded adoption of bead-based assays. We are proud to offer this cost-effective alternative to the market."

The Curiox washing station and DropArray microplates have been utilized in multiplexing assays, suspension cell assays, high content assays and iPS/stem cell and differentiation cell assays. The system provides users with significant reductions in bead volumes without compromising performance, while integrating seamlessly into current laboratory workflows.

Please direct inquiries to:
Namyong Kim, Ph.D., CEO
+1-650-226-8420
www.curiox.com

About Curiox Biosystems

Curiox Biosystems brings brilliantly simple solutions to the Life Sciences that accelerate the progress of basic research, drug discovery and diagnostics through the miniaturization and automation of bioassays. Our expertise in surface chemistry and engineering assists the biomedical research community in making a bigger global impact in the fight against disease.

About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore's lead public sector agency that fosters world-class scientific research and talent to drive economic growth and transform Singapore into a vibrant knowledge-based and innovation driven economy.

In line with its mission-oriented mandate, A*STAR spearheads research and development in fields that are essential to growing Singapore's manufacturing sector and catalyzing new growth industries. A*STAR supports these economic clusters by providing intellectual, human and industrial capital to its partners in industry.

A*STAR oversees 18 biomedical sciences and physical sciences and engineering research entities, located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis, as well as their vicinity. These two R&D hubs house a bustling and diverse community of local and international research scientists and engineers from A*STAR's research entities as well as a growing number of corporate laboratories.

For more information on A*STAR, please visit www.a-star.edu.sg.

[1] Luminex is a registered trademark of Luminex Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Luminex Corporation does not endorse Curiox DA-Bead plates.

SOURCE Curiox Biosystems