Polyplus-transfection SA, a privately-held company developing innovative technologies for molecular and cellular biology, and Blue Sky BioServices, a contract research organization (CRO) providing Gene Through Screen services for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology R&D market, announced a non-exclusive, research and commercial license agreement. Polyplus has granted Blue Sky BioServices a licence to use Polyethylenimine (PEI) for in vitro transfection applications.

Blue Sky BioServices, has become the 17th sub-licensee, and the 4th CRO to acquire rights from Polyplus to use its PEI-mediated transfection applications for research and commercial purposes. Of the other international Polyplus sub-licensees, five are big pharma companies. Six are in located in North America, and 11 in Europe. The license provides Blue Sky BioServices with freedom to use this globally recognized high performance technology from Polyplus-transfection to generate transfected cells to produce proteins, viruses and antibodies.

Polyplus-transfection is the worldwide, exclusive licensee of PEI for transfection applications. Transfection with PEI has the advantages of increased ease of use, a heightened transfection efficiency and excellent viability in mammalian cell lines most frequently chosen by scientists working in protein, virus and antibody production.

Blue Sky enables researchers in life science companies to work more efficiently by utilizing Blue Sky’s expertise and technologies in gene synthesis, protein production and purification, and specialized assay services. Blue Sky collaborates with customers globally to rapidly produce complex proteins which are widely used in research and discovery applications for screening, assay and drug development.  Blue Sky uses proprietary and best in class technologies, such as PEI, to improve the quality and speed with which it meets customers’ needs.

“Polyplus’ large scale transient gene expression reagent PEIpro(R) is very important to companies operating research and developing therapies in a range of areas. Blue Sky BioServices, as the latest CRO to sign a licence to use our technology, keeps Polyplus’ transfection technology at the forefront of the battle to understand, treat and prevent cancer, as well as other infectious, immunologic and allergic diseases,” said Mark Bloomfield, CEO of Polyplus-transfection. “PEI-mediated transfection continues to be a core tool for all researchers working in these fields. The execution of this agreement with Blue Sky BioServices is another demonstration of the strength and significant value of Polyplus’ specific intellectual property rights in PEI-mediated nucleic acid delivery for research and commercial purposes.”

“Blue Sky is pleased to add Polyplus’ PEI technology to our service capabilities.  It complements our investment in our own novel process technologies and labs,” said Ted Marple, President and CEO of Blue Sky BioServices. “We chose Polyplus’ technology because of its proven transfection efficiency which will help us to reliably meet customers’ timelines and quality requirements.”