Absorption Systems Announces License Agreement with Pfizer Inc.
EXTON, PA –July 15, 2014 – Absorption Systems, a leader in novel test systems for drug transporters, announces a license agreement with Pfizer Inc., in which Pfizer will in-license Absorption Systems’ BCRP-MDCK cells. This cell line is stably transfected with the human ABCG2 gene, which codes for a protein known as BCRP (breast cancer resistance protein).
This proprietary human BCRP assay system is designed to enable the testing of new drug candidates for interactions with the BCRP protein, which is involved in drug clearance, blood-brain barrier penetration, resistance of tumors to anticancer drugs, and drug-drug interactions. As a result of BCRP interactions, compounds that show promising efficacy in vitro may be inaccessible to the organ of interest during clinical trials.
“We believe that, because of their robust expression of the BCRP protein, BCRP-MDCK cells can allow users to better predict human outcomes during preclinical testing of their drug candidates, thereby having the potential to reduce attrition during drug development,” said Ismael J. Hidalgo, Ph.D., CSO, Absorption Systems.
About Absorption Systems
Absorption Systems assists pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies in identifying and overcoming absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) barriers in the development of drugs, biologics, and medical devices. The company's mission is to continually develop innovative research tools and provide exemplary service that can be used to accurately predict human outcomes or to explain unanticipated human outcomes when they occur. The CellPort Technologies® platform, a suite of human cell-based test systems for drug transporter characterization, exemplifies Absorption Systems' commitment to innovation while continually striving to be the industry assay standard for in vitro drug interaction assessment. Absorption Systems has facilities near Philadelphia, PA, and in San Diego, CA and Panama City, Panama, and serves customers throughout the world. For information on the company's comprehensive contract services and applied research programs, please visit absorption.com.