SomaLogic and New England Biolabs announce agreement to use SOMAmers for multiple PCR products

SomaLogic, Inc. and New England Biolabs, Inc. (NEB) announce today that they have entered into an exclusive licensing agreement whereby SomaLogic will provide specific SOMAmers as critical and unique reagents in several current and future NEB nucleic acid amplification and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products.

SOMAmers are specific protein binding reagents based on chemically modified "aptamers," or short single-stranded nucleic acids. Although SOMAmers have nearly unlimited potential in many different proteomic applications (e.g., biomarker discovery and validation, clinical diagnostics, drug discovery and development), NEB is incorporating specific SOMAmers into their products as reversible inhibitors of thermally active DNA polymerases used in PCR (e.g., NEB's OneTaqTM Hot Start DNA Polymerase).

"We are delighted that our colleagues at New England Biolabs see the utility of SOMAmers in enhancing and differentiating their outstanding laboratory solutions from their many competitors," said Nebojsa Janjic, Chief Science Officer of SomaLogic. "We look forward to working with them to further explore and apply the distinct advantages of our powerful technology in research laboratory settings."

"There are many opportunities to further enhance the performance of thermally active DNA polymerases in PCR reactions," states Dr. Salvatore Russello, Associate Director of Business Development at NEB. "This agreement is thus of great value to NEB, and is already being used to improve the application of DNA polymerases, such as OneTaq Hot Start."

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Provided by SomaLogic, Inc.