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05-07-2007 (« Back to Newsroom)
Mount Pleasant, MI, May 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Dendritic
Nanotechnologies Inc (DNT), a subsidiary of Starpharma (ASX:
SPL, OTCQX: SPHRY), has found that Priostar™ dendrimer
technology can be used to amplify the signal and increase the duration of the
signal (photostability) of existing products in the multi-billion dollar
fluorescent reagents market. The company has filed a patent for the discovery
through DNT.
Fluorescent reagents are used extensively in laboratories for high-
throughput screening, diagnostic immunoassays, microarrays, fluorescence
microscopy, genomics and proteomics. Strong signals and photostability are
extremely important properties as they increase the sensitivity of detection
methods and facilitate measurement of the signal, respectively.
Increased sensitivity is needed to study disease markers that are present
at very low levels -- often below those detectable with current technologies.
Using its Priostar™ technology, DNT has created dye-dendrimer complexes
from various commercial dyes that show significantly enhanced fluorescent
(greater than 10 fold) and photostability (greater than 4 fold), in addition
to improved solubility in water.
Preliminary testing has shown that the enhanced properties of Priostar™
dendrimer-dye complexes are retained after attachment to an antibody, an
integral component for many of the applications of fluorescent dyes.
'Market feedback indicates that the scientific community and industry
users of these products will highly value the availability of reagents with
increased sensitivity and photostability,' said Dr. Lori Reyna, director of
life sciences at DNT. 'Scientists are always keen to increase the sensitivity
of detection and quantitation methods.'
DNT will partner with established leaders in the diagnostic and research
reagent industries through licensing and supply agreements. The initial
commercialization target will be the research reagent and in vitro diagnostic
markets. DNT is currently in preliminary commercialization discussions with
the market leaders in the area of fluorescence reagents.
About Dendritic Nanotechnologies Inc. (DNT):
Starpharma’s wholly owned U.S. based operating subsidiary – Dendritic Nanotechnologies, Inc. located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan - provides innovative dendrimer technologies and commercialization services with its new proprietary Priostar™ dendrimer technologies. DNT’s proprietary Priostar™ dendrimer platform serves as a targeted diagnostic and therapeutic delivery system for a wide variety of drugs to cancer cells and other diseases. Improved efficacy, enhanced solubility, and lower toxicity have been demonstrated for a number of existing drugs. Priostar™ dendrimers are the newest generation of dendrimers and were engineered to be commercially viable (reduced manufacturing complexity and costs). The company has patents pending on its Priostar™ family of dendrimers. PrioFect, Priostar and STARBURST® are trademarks of Dendritic Nanotechnologies, Inc. All other trademarks mentioned herein are held by their respective owners.
About Starpharma:
Starpharma Holdings Limited (ASX:SPL, OTCQX:SPHRY) is a world leader in
the development of dendrimer nanotechnology for pharmaceutical, life-science
and other applications. SPL is principally composed of two operating
companies, Starpharma Pty Ltd in Melbourne, Australia and Dendritic
Nanotechnologies, Inc in Michigan, USA.
Dendrimers: A type of precisely-defined, branched nanoparticle. Dendrimers have applications in the medical, electronics, chemicals and materials industries.
American Depositary Receipts (ADRs): Starpharma’s ADRs trade under the code SPHRY (CUSIP number 855563102). Each Starpharma ADR is equivalent to 10 ordinary shares of Starpharma as traded on the Australian Stock Exchange. The Bank of New York is the depositary bank.
For further information:
Media:
Rebecca Wilson
Buchan Consulting
Tel: +61 2 9237 2800
Mob: +61 417 382 391
rwilson@bcg.com.au
Starpharma:
Dr Jackie Fairley
Chief Executive Officer Starpharma Holdings Ltd
+61 3 8532 2704
Dr Robert Berry
President
DNT
Tel: 989.774.1799
berry@dnanotech.com
Ben Rogers
Company Secretary
Starpharma Holdings Ltd
+61 3 8532 2702
ben.rogers@starpharma.com
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