To manufacture and sell exciplex-based diagnostic reagents worldwide
Link Technologies has secured a license deal with The University of Manchester Intellectual Property (UMIP). Under the terms of the license for the University’s ‘exciplex’ technology, Link will manufacture and sell highly sensitive exciplex-based diagnostic reagents worldwide.
Exciplex technology offers ultra-biospecificity and significantly increased detection sensitivity over conventional systems due to negligible background signal. This license marks the start of a forward collaboration between Link and the University to develop the existing technology.
Ken Douglas, professor and Elena Bichenkova, a senior lecturer in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Manchester, have developed new exciplex diagnostic probes based on labelling oligonucleotides with exciplex partners that form excited-state complexes in close spatial proximity.
Application of these modified oligonucleotides in diagnostic systems has been shown to discriminate DNA mutations at the level of PCR products and plasmid DNA.
Patents for this technology, covering all major market areas, are held by the University of Manchester and licensed to Link. Link Technologies has also secured the rights to any intellectual property arising from the collaboration with the University.
Douglas, professor, said: “This is a opportunity to bring together a University discovery base and this company. The exciplex is a new area of science and we are pleased to have the expertise of Link Technologies to take this forward commercially for clinical benefit”.
John Bremner, business development director at Link Technologies, said: “We are delighted with this deal, which we firmly believe is the start of something truly exciting. Our ongoing collaboration with the University over the coming months will optimise the technology, allowing Link to launch a new range of innovative products targeted at diagnostic companies worldwide.”