Sigma-Aldrich commences CompoZr licensing programme

Sigma-Aldrich has initiated a licensing programme to provide organisations involved in healthcare research with access to its CompoZr Transporter Knockout Cell Lines.

The scheme will allow pharmaceutical companies and contract research organisations to utilise the efflux transporter knockout human cell-based assays for preclinical ADME screening and safety studies.

Leading ADME-tox service company Cyprotex – which operates sites in the US and UK – is the first non-exclusive licensee in the programme.

By providing complete functional knockouts of transporters in the intestinal cell line, identification of critical safety and efficacy characteristics can be achieved more quickly compared to current chemical inhibitor-based assays.

Dr Paul Brooks, market segment manager at Sigma Life Science, said: "Sigma's CRO and pharma licensing programme will facilitate rapid adoption of this superior approach to identifying potential safety issues and meeting the new regulatory guidelines."

Earlier this month, the company announced that it will be investing in a new powder manufacturing facility in Scotland, which will lead to the creation of 24 jobs.