We hereby announce that q‡establishment of a system for producing antibodies against human GPCR using fishqˆ, a subject which TRANS GENIC (hereinafter referred to asq‡weqˆ) had applied for a funded program of q‡Collaborative Development of Innovative Seeds, Potentiality Verification Stageqˆ (hereinafter referred to as q‡the programqˆ), was adopted by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (hereinafter referred to as q‡JSTqˆ).

The program of JST aims to connect seeds candidate that is found out through industry's viewpoint from basic research in universities, national and other public research institutes to innovation creation.

We have focused on an achievement regarding antibody production using fish, made by Hiroshi Tamaru, associate professor of Graduate School / Faculty of Bioresources, Mie University, as a new seeds candidate to establish a simple and speedy antibody production system by combining it with our antibody related technological platform. Therefore we applied the attempt as a subject for the program and it was adopted by JST.

The seeds candidate has a possibility to develop into a fundamental technology that can reduce time and cost for antibody production drastically and develop antibodies with higher affinity and higher specificity compared to conventional methods. The subject is to verify usefulness of the seeds candidate against human GPCR and to develop technologies for producing antibodies which can be used not only as antibody reagents but also as pharmaceuticals.

As a seeds verification producer, we intend to carry out research and development to commercialize them under a close relationship with JST and Mie University based on various contracts with them.

Please see a list of subjects adopted for the 3rd q‡Collaborative Development of Innovation Seeds, Potentiality Verification Stageqˆ in FY 2007.

http://www.jst.go.jp/pr/info/info437/index.html