The Norway-based company was spun out of Bergen University a few months ago but its tools, which it believes give more information on a target than any other currently available tech, have already attracted interest from biotechs in Europe, the US and Asia.
BIO 2009
"Help clients reduce the serendipity involved in drug discovery ,"
Richard Godfrey, CEO of BerGenBio.
Outsourcing-Pharma met with Richard Godfrey, CEO of BerGenBio, at BIO 2009 in Atlanta, US, where he explained how CellSelectRNAi works in drug target identification, validation and development.
The technology uses custom vector systems to initiate stable knockdown of gene expression in all cell types.
This creates an epi-allelic series that can be used to determine the therapeutic's dose response, information that can save money for the company developing the product.
In addition BerGenBio has a CellSelectScreening technology, which "is a unique battery of biological assay technologies that allows parallel target - compound evaluation".
BerGenBio is providing these technologies on a contract basis, providing a profit and furthering the companies knowledge, but is also developing its own targets.
Godfrey explained that information on its first candidate will be released soon, with the company aiming at producing one candidate a year.