NascaCell Technologies - Your Partner For Small Biologicals

NascaCell Technologies AG is a global leader in the rapid automated production and marketing of custom aptamers as small molecule substitutes for target validation and drug discovery, opening new ways beyond those of antibodies, RNAi and other technologies, and in the development of Microbodies™ as protein therapeutics and tools for diagnostic and processing applications with small molecule characteristics.

APTAMERS - FOR TARGET VALIDATION AND DRUG DISCOVERY

Aptamers are small, functional oligonucleotides with a defined 3D structure and are engineered to bind target proteins with affinities and specificities only matched by antibodies. Unlike antibodies, aptamers even display selectivity for conformational changes of the same protein (see example for Erk2 Kinase on the right). Due to their drug like binding characteristics, aptamers typically show strong inhibition of protein function. At NascaCell aptamers are selected in a rapid, automated procedure, characterized and delivered within eight to twelve weeks.

APTAMERS - FOR ALL COMMON DRUG TARGETS

Aptamers can be selected from DNA, RNA or protected RNA libraries. They can be selected to inhibit or modify the function of enzymes or signal transduction proteins in cellular assays. For applications in vivo or in cell culture to bind to plasma or membrane proteins the protected aptamers are selected.

APTAMERS - RAPID ACCESS THROUGH SYNTHESIS

Aptamers are produced by in vitro transcription or chemical synthesis. This allows rapid and reproducible access even to large amounts for in vivo studies or specially labelled aptamers for High Throughput Screening (HTS).

APTAMERS - RAPID SERVICE INCLUDING NECESSARY LICENSES

The aptamer selection is offered by NascaCell with a favourable payment structure on a fee for service basis. NascaCell can provide all necessary sublicenses for the use of aptamers in the fields above.

MICROBODIES™ - A STABLE PROTEIN FOLD

Microbodies™ are minimalistic proteins derived from naturally occurring knottins or microproteins. NascaCell either uses the Microbody™ scaffold to stabilize peptides with biological activities by grafting their sequence into a displaying loop or for the selection of novel binders. Microbodies™ can be easily produced by expression in E.coli or chemical synthesis to include site specific modifications.

MICROBODIES™ - THERAPEUTIC PROTEINS

Microbodies™ are resistant to most proteases and stable over a broad pH range (pH 1-13). The scaffold has been successfully used to for example, design highly specific protease inhibitors or TPO receptor agonists, which have shown efficacy in mice.

MICROBODIES™ - DIAGNOSTIC AND OTHER APPLICATIONS

A shelf life of several months in solution, or even longer when immobilized on surfaces, combined with their extreme stability makes Microbodies™ an ideal tool in immunological assays, i.e. to display epitopes and mimotopes, and as tool for other processes like affinity purification.

MICROBODIES™ - COLLABORATIONS WITH RAPID ACCESS TO TEST MATERIAL

When using grafting of biological active peptides into the established Microbody™ scaffolds, delivery of mg quantities for test purposes is possible within 10-15 weeks. Collaboration partners profit from NascaCell's established routines in the field.

Microbodies™ is a registered trade mark of NascaCell Technologies AG, SELEX™ is a trade mark of Gilead Sciences.