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Rapid identification of compounds to treat neurodegenerative diseases

Menlo Park, California – Alion Pharmaceuticals and LamdaGen Corporation announced today that the two biotechnology companies have entered into a Strategic Collaboration to identify and characterize small molecule inhibitors for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and Neuropathic Pain.

The Collaboration combines Alion’s proprietary computer aided drug design technology and methodologies with LamdaGen’s highly sensitive nano-sensor based bioanalytical systems to accelerate the identification of novel small molecule drug candidates to treat neurologic disorders.

“Recent efforts between our two organizations have led to the validated activity of several Alion compounds directed against targets of therapeutic value in Alzheimer’s disease. With combined use of our respective technologies, we have demonstrated that protein/peptide interactions can be regulated with our small molecule inhibitors. This has important implications for the identification of new therapeutic drugs, which makes this early stage discovery and validation activity very exciting,” stated Allan Bates, President of Alion.

The companies are in discussion with several pharmaceutical companies regarding the utilization of their integrated discovery technologies for use in specific drug discovery and development programs.

About Alion: Alion Pharmaceuticals is a computational chemistry company employing proprietary CADD and biophysical methodologies to accelerate the discovery and development of small molecule therapeutics.

About LamdaGen: LamdaGen Corporation is a rapidly growing biosensor company utilizing proprietary nano-based metamaterials to facilitate improved testing and analyses for drug discovery and development, as well as diagnostic applications.

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Label-Free & Labeled Technology for Protein Characterization and Quantitation

Sep 1, 2010
By: Daniele Gerion, Gwo-Jen Day
BioPharm International
Volume 23, Issue 9

We present a new label-free platform for protein characterization and quantitation based upon Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance or LSPR on a nanostructured metallic film. With recent advancements in manufacturing techniques, reproducibility of nanostructured thin films has allowed the transition of LSPR from purely academic interest into the first commercialization of systems for practical use in research, bioprocess and diagnostic applications. Similar to gold colloidal solutions, the nanostructured gold films exhibit a distinct color due to the preferential absorption of certain wavelengths within the spectrum of a white light. The color of the film changes as biomolecules or other chemicals come into contact with the LSPR surface, enabling precise and sensitive quantitation of biomolecular interactions. This article reviews the sensitivity and dynamic range of LSPR, which is achieved at a fraction of the cost and with higher throughput than traditional surface plasmon resonance (SPR). It also introduces the technique of amplification of LSPR signals through enzymatic reactions to achieve sensitivities greater and faster than published results for ELISA end-point analyses…

Continue to full article in BioPharm International

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CRP is a cardio-biomarker which can assess risk for future heart attacks

Menlo Park, CA — LamdaGen Corporation presented data on its work for the visual POC (Point of Care) detection of CRP (C-reactive protein), an important cardio-biomarker that can assess risk for future heart attacks, at the American Association of Clinical Chemists’ Oakridge Conference held in San Jose, California, on April 17 and 18, 2008.

The poster, “Enhanced Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (E-LSPR) as a novel detection method for IVD tests”, authored by Huber, M. and Gerion, D., Menlo Park, CA., was presented to Oakridge Conference attendees. The data focused on the detection of CRP via LamdaGen’s E-LSPR technology coupled with its OES biosensor, which is able to detect CRP concentrations of less than 1.0 mg/L in patients’ whole blood. The OES biosensor, amplified with antibodies on its surface, is a highly sensitive, fast and visual POC diagnostic that can be monitored by the naked-eye. There is no need for expensive and bulky instrumentation.

LamdaGen Corporation is a privately funded California-based developer of proprietary optical biosensors. LamdaGen’s mission is to become a leading supplier of state-of-the-art detections systems incorporating new advances in bio-sensing based upon nano-structured surfaces. The Company is commercializing its advanced sensors and instruments using its patented technology to enhance real-time, label-free detection and analysis of biomolecules across several large markets and industries. LamdaGen’s technologies have been developed for use in medical diagnostics, bioresearch, drug discovery and development, and mid-to-high throughput screening of proteins.

About AACC:

AACC is an international scientific / medical society dedicated to improving healthcare through laboratory medicine. Its nearly 10,000 members are clinical laboratory professionals, physicians, research scientists, and others involved in developing tests and directing laboratory operations. AACC brings this community together with programs that advance knowledge, expertise, and innovation. AACC is best known for the respected scientific journal Clinical Chemistry, the award-winning patient-centered web site Lab Tests Online, and the world’s largest conference on laboratory medicine and technology. Through these and other programs, AACC advances laboratory medicine and the quality of patient care. For more information, see www.aacc.org

For more information regarding LamdaGen Corporation, please visit www.lamdagen.com

Early detection can save the dairy industry hundreds of millions of dollars each year.

Menlo Park, CA — The scientific team at LamdaGen Corporation announced today that feasibility testing for rapid detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), the causative agent for Johne’s disease in dairy cows, has been completed. Johne’s disease causes rapid weight loss as well as greatly reduced milk production, and costs the dairy industry hundreds of millions of dollars in losses each year.

The Company’s Optical Enhancement System (OES), easily monitored via the naked-eye, is able to detect antibodies to MAP in both milk and serum samples from infected cows in less than one hour. Current technologies take several days to weeks for results to be reported, time during which the potentially infected animals have to be cared for and isolated. In addition, medical researchers are considering the possibility that Johne’s Disease can be linked to Crohn’s Disease, a debilitating gastrointestinal disease in humans, which affects over 500,000 people in the United States alone.

The use of dairy cows that are no longer suitable for milking in American ground beef production opens the possibility that those cows have one or more infections, including Johne’s Disease. Increasing public awareness of the vulnerability of beef production to disease is pushing the need for a methodology that will confirm of the safety of our beef supply. The Lamdagen OES, a rapid, visual and cost-effective tool for field testing a cow before it enters the food chain will benefit both industry and consumers.

LamdaGen Corporation, a privately funded company located in Menlo Park, California, is a rapidly growing Life Science Company that produces proprietary Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR) bio-sensors to facilitate Medical Diagnostics and Life-Science.
For more information regarding LamdaGen Corporation, please visit www.lamdagen.com