Study Demonstrates Automated Laser-based Cell Manipulation with Intrexon's Proprietary LEAP® System

GERMANTOWN, Md., Nov. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study by scientists at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, a nonprofit research institution and one of the largest induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) generators in the world, in collaboration with Intrexon Corporation (NYSE: XON) a leader in synthetic biology, describes an automated, efficient procedure for generating human iPSCs with the Laser Enabled Analysis and Processing (LEAP^®) system.  The protocol "Laser-Assisted Generation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells", published online in Current Protocols in Stem Cell Biology, has implications in the advancement of iPSC research.  

Intrexon's proprietary LEAP^® system integrates the flexibility of computerized image-based selection with the precision of laser-based processing for in situ purification of high-value cells and cell colonies, a feature that is particularly useful when working with complex human iPSC cultures.  This platform is being employed by Sanford-Burnham to improve and accelerate methods for generating human iPSCs and their differentiated progeny, which are used in the evaluation of a variety of diseases.

"Having state-of-the-art tools like the LEAP^® system that facilitate the generation of uniform, high-quality cells is key to providing reliable iPSC research models to study disease pathology and progress the stem cell field," said Evan Y. Snyder, M.D., Ph.D., Professor in Sanford-Burnham's Human Genetics Program.  "There is a protocol now in place for the automated identification, isolation, and purification of human iPSC colonies.  This ultimately will enable more rapid and cost-effective iPSC generation helping advance the development of new treatment modalities. Indeed, in partnership with Intrexon, we believe we are at the forefront of that challenge."

As described in the published study, LEAP^® application can facilitate isolation of iPSCs while eliminating non- or partially reprogrammed cells or other undesirable cell types in the culture.  Standard practices for stem cell colony maintenance often rely on either enzymatic procedures, which can lead to genomic instability over time with repeated cell passages, or manual techniques, which are time consuming and labor intensive.  The LEAP^® system avoids these drawbacks by combining the quality and precision of manual methods with the capacity for high-throughput processing, all while maintaining the cells in a sterile environment.

"Application of our LEAP^® system is a powerful new approach to improve the speed and consistency of iPSC culturing," commented Thomas Reed, Ph.D., Founder and Chief Science Officer of Intrexon. "We are pleased to be collaborating with Sanford-Burnham, leaders in the field of stem cell biology, to potentially transform the way iPSC studies are conducted and contribute to future exploration of iPSCs for diagnostic and therapeutic applications."

About Intrexon Corporation
Intrexon Corporation (NYSE: XON) is a leader in synthetic biology focused on collaborating with companies in Health, Food, Energy, Environment, and Consumer Sectors to create biologically-based products that improve the quality of life and the health of the planet.  Through the company's proprietary UltraVector® platform and suite of technologies, Intrexon provides its partners with industrial-scale design and development of complex biological systems.  The UltraVector® platform delivers unprecedented control over the quality, function, and performance of living cells.  We call our synthetic biology approach and integrated technologies Better DNA®, and we invite you to discover more at www.DNA.com.

Trademarks
Intrexon, UltraVector, LEAP and Better DNA are trademarks of Intrexon and/or its affiliates.

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Intrexon Corporation Contacts:

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Marie Rossi, Ph.D.
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Tel: +1 (301) 556-9850
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SOURCE Intrexon Corporation

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