Prolinx awarded twenty-fourth patent for bioconjugation technology

<%=company1%> (Bothell, WA) has been awarded U.S. Patent 6,075,126, titled "Phenyldiboronic Acid Reagents and Complexes." The patent, the company's twenty-fourth, establishes a proprietary position with respect to a novel class of compounds developed by Prolinx and marketed under the name of Versalinx Chemical Affinity Tools. The Versalinx chemistry and its use in bioconjugation were developed at Prolinx and offer advantages in the manipulation of biological macromolecules that facilitate advancements in genomic and proteomic applications.

The Versalinx product line represents a novel platform technology based on synthetic non-biological small molecules that exhibit a high binding affinity for each other. The simplest are phenylboronic acid (PBA) and salicylhydroxamic acid (SHA).

This proprietary chemistry, according to its developers at Prolinx, offers many advantages for bioseparations applications, including the possibility of controlled reversibility when desired. Versalinx chemistry allows for the immobilization of nucleic acids, proteins, and other macromolecules, enabling the development of novel analytical and preparative assays.

The Versalinx system represents the first commercial application of low molecular weight synthetic reagents that emulate polyvalent interactions involving multiple ligands binding to multiple receptors. As such, it provides stronger associations than monovalent interactions. Proteins and nucleic acids are immobilized on a variety of solid phase surfaces using Versalinx chemistry.

The development of the phenyldiboronic acid (PDBA) composition-of-matter, the subject of this latest patent, expands the potential applications for this technology by providing reagents that facilitate polyvalent complex formation. Prolinx has numerous strategic collaborations with life science companies seeking to use these novel reagents as integral and enabling component chemistries.

Prolinx, founded in 1995, is a privately held biotechnology company that develops, manufactures, and markets tools, applications, and systems for the post-genomic era.

For more information: Leslie Linkkila, Director, Sales & Marketing, <%=company1%>, 22322 20th Ave. Southeast, Bothell, WA 98021. Tel: 425-487-3401. Fax: 425-487-9578. Email: linkkila@prolinxinc.com.

Edited by Laura DeFrancesco
Managing Editor, Bioresearch Online