BioFocus and Almac Collaborate to Offer Fluorescent Lifetime Assays

CRAIGAVON, Northern Ireland, March 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- BioFocus and Almac have initiated a collaboration which will provide BioFocus customers with compound screening and profiling services using Almac's FLEXYTETM fluorescence lifetime (FLT) assays. FLT as a reading modality offers a robust, antibody free, homogeneous assay platform which enables the user to avoid interference from fluorescent compounds within a screening library.

BioFocus has launched an FLT screening and profiling service utilising the FLEXYTETM assay platform and now offer campaigns against targets including proteases, phosphatases and kinases. The unique properties of FLT have also been harnessed to open up access to previously inaccessible epigenetics target classes. Several approaches can be taken using the FLEXYTETM platform including fragment based screens and kinetic profiling.

"Being able to incorporate FLT in our service offering enables BioFocus to provide clients an approach to screening and profiling that will unlock significant potential within their drug discovery efforts," commented Dr Kate Hilyard, VP Biological Sciences, BioFocus.

"We are delighted that BioFocus has chosen to add our FLEXYTETM platform to their service offering. We feel that this will allow a broad range of drug discovery groups access to the power of FLT," said Dr Stephen Barr, President and Managing Director of Almac Sciences.