Caliper Life Sciences Inc. announced that Novartis has signed a multi-year license to Caliper's patented non-invasive optical imaging methods.

Non-invasive optical imaging, an increasingly critical technology for drug discovery and development, allows scientists to visualize, track and quantify biological processes at the molecular level in living animals with high throughput and relatively low cost. Caliper, the industry leader in small animal optical imaging solutions, provides commercial and academic customers with an impressive selection of in vivo offerings including imaging systems, reagents, applications, proprietary methods and services that improve drug discovery and development efforts.

"This multi-year agreement further validates the importance and relevance of Caliper's optical imaging technology and intellectual property," said Kevin Hrusovsky, chief executive officer, Caliper Life Sciences. "More than 70 per cent of major pharmaceutical companies, and 60 per cent of major biotech companies, now hold a license to the Caliper Optical Imaging Patent Suite, and smaller biotechs are following suit in increasing numbers." Hrusovsky added, "Our recent notification of allowance of patent claims for conjugate fluorescence imaging methods from the US Patent and Trademark Office has significantly increased the value of Caliper's intellectual property estate and complements Caliper's aggressive investment in conjugate probe development."

Caliper's Xenogen family of IVIS instrument systems, reagents, and proprietary methods deliver non-invasive in vivo imaging along with high sensitivity, ease of use and exceptional data quality. Caliper has placed over 450 units to date and recently launched the new Xenogen IVIS Spectrum system, the first system to provide state-of-the-art bioluminescence and fluorescence capability in a single unit.