ACEA Biosciences, Inc. Announces New Patent; Broad Claims Granted for Devices, Systems, and Methods for assaying cells using cell-substrate impedance monitoring.
San Diego, California (August 12, 2009) – ACEA Biosciences, Inc., a pioneer in the development of high-performance microelectronic systems for cell-based assays, is pleased to report the issuance of an additional U. S. Patent for its real-time, label-free microelectronic technology with broad uses in biomedicine, toxicology, and pharmaceutical development. This patent is incorporated in the commercially available xCELLigence System™, developed by ACEA Biosciences, Inc. and currently marketed on a worldwide basis with its cooperation partner Roche.
This patent (US Patent No. 7,560,269, issued July 14, 2009) entitled "Real time electronic cell sensing system and applications for cytotoxicity profiling and compound assays" includes broad claims to devices and methods for cellular assays that use impedance monitoring to detect changes in cell behavior or state. These methods can be used to test the effects of compounds on cells, such as in cytotoxicity assays. Methods of cytotoxicity profiling of compounds are also provided. Cytotoxicity assays are frequently used in a number of important biomedical applications, including drug discovery, cancer research, and environmental toxicology.
"We are excited to see this important addition to our growing patent portfolio related to label-free, real-time microelectronic technology applied to many important areas of biomedical research," said Dr. Xiaobo Wang, ACEA Bioscience's Chief Technology Officer. "This patent, combined with others in our IP portfolio, provides significant competitive advantage and important protection for our impedance-based microelectronic technology in a variety of important applications. Our label-free, real-time assay technology offers our users many important advantages, and we look forward to providing them with advanced technologies that increase their productivity and scientific progress."
