Polyplus-transfection® announces the appointment of ten additional biologists and chemists to support multiple pre-clinical studies
Polyplus-transfection® celebrates 10 years of commercial growth and research and development in the field of transfection bio-tools and therapeutics with further additions to team
Strasbourg, France, September 15, 2011 – Polyplus-transfection® SA, which specializes in the development of innovative solutions for the delivery of nucleic acids in research and therapeutics, today celebrates 10 years of continuous growth.
From its launch in 2001, Polyplus-transfection has sold its lines of proprietary transfection reagents through a large network of international distributors covering more than 30 countries worldwide. During the past decade, Polyplus-transfection® has evolved into two business units; the core commercial transfection reagent business and therapeutic research business focused on nucleic acid delivery systems, and has moved from 4 to 42 employees. In partnership with its private equity investors, Polyplus has part funded its therapeutic research with revenue from its commercial transfection reagent sales, funding and loans, and has successfully raised a total of 7,8M Euros in venture funding since 2001.
The most recent funding round of 2.5 M Euros which closed in December 2010, is driving the acceleration of Polyplus’ pre-clinical study programs with the hire of ten additional scientists and the expansion of Polyplus’ laboratory and office facilities in Illkirch (France). Polyplus-transfection® is a specialist of in-vivo intracellular nucleic acid transfer, and is currently conducting two main research programs dedicated to development of RNA interference-based therapeutics: STICKY SIRNA and RNAPLUS™. Since 2001, the scientific team of the company has authored more than 20 scientific papers and has significantly expanded the companies IP estate in the field of nucleic acid delivery.
“Ten years is a significant milestone for every company. Polyplus-transfection has clearly proven the sustainability of its business model and now serves thousands of customers worldwide with quality products, while continuing to invest in the build out of a world class research and discovery organisation,” says Mark Bloomfield, C.E.O. of Polyplus-transfection. “Moreover, Polyplus-transfection continues to benefit from a close and valued relationship with its institutional investors who have provided the funding, support and guidance needs to bring our STICKY SIRNA and SIRNAPLUS™ delivery technologies into pre-clinical development.”
“The latest results from our preclinical studies in lung metastatic cancer and prostate cancer models show that STICKY SIRNA is effective in inhibiting both the cell cycle as well as chemotherapy resistance resulting in significantly reduced tumor growth and increase mice survival when administered in combination with widely used chemotherapy drugs such as Cisplatin,” says Dr. Patrick Erbacher CSO at Polyplus-transfection. “Further, based on this preclinical data we are now seeking partners to take STICKY SIRNA in to clinical trials as a powerful tool for antitumor therapy.”