The website provides an invaluable resource for groups working with or wishing to establish rAAV-mediated genome editing technology in-house, and gives comprehensive access to over 15 years of academic research on rAAV-mediated genome editing, along with data on Horizon’s world leading application of the technology.
Users can search the latest information on rAAV gene editing, including a library of rAAV-related articles. Discussion forums provide technical support as well as current protocols for rAAV gene targeting. The site also gives scientists easy contact with a community of leading academic researchers using rAAV, both from Horizon and members of Horizon’s rAAV Center of Excellence (CoE) groups.
Dr Rob Howes, Principal Scientist, Horizon, commented: “This is the first site dedicated to rAAV genome editing and brings together all of the current knowledge into one place. The purpose of this website is to support scientists working with rAAV-mediated genome editing, providing a virtual meeting point where academics from around the world can exchange ideas and information. Using this resource we aim to rapidly expand the number of groups using rAAV genome editing to create isogenic cell lines.”
Horizon’s rAAV CoE Program (CoE refers to Center of Excellence in Human Cellular Gene-Editing) is working to provide the global academic community with rAAV-mediated genome editing technology expertise. Each CoE is an academic or not-for-profit research group or laboratory to which Horizon commits resources to provide training and open access to its rAAV GENESIS human gene-editing platform. The website will give users easier access to the Program, and will assist Horizon’s planned expansion of the Program in 2012.
About Horizon Discovery
Horizon Discovery Limited (Horizon) is a leading provider of research tools to support translational genomics research and the development of personalized medicines. The Company’s proprietary rAAV gene-editing technology, GENESIS™, is industry leading. Using GENESIS, Horizon is able to alter any endogenous gene sequence of a human or mammalian cell-line quickly, reliably and without introducing unwanted and confounding genotypes and/or phenotypes.
Horizon has applied GENESIS to create over 400 X-MAN™ cell lines, the world’s first source of genetically-defined and patient-relevant human cell lines, accurately modeling the disease-causing mutations found in cancer patients. These ‘patients-in-a-test-tube’ are being used by academic and industry leaders to identify the effect of individual or compound genetic mutations on drug activity, patient responsiveness, and resistance, leading to the successful prediction of which patient sub-groups will respond to currently-available and future drug treatments. This enables the design of shorter, more focused, and less expensive clinical trials, ultimately providing the tools to identify the ‘right drugs’ for the ‘right patients’ based upon the unique genetic mutations that define their disease.
In addition to the X-MAN cell lines, Horizon provides GENESIS and X-MAN™ derived products and services, with industrial application in: bio-pharmaceutical process optimization; clinical diagnostic development; drug discovery & development; and the provision of reference standards for genomic-based clinical research platforms.
GENESIS and X-MAN are registered trademarks of Horizon Discovery Limited.
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Contacts:
At Horizon:
Dr Rob Howes
Principal Scientist
Tel: +44 (0) 1223 655 584
Email: r.howes@horizondiscovery.com
Media enquiries:
Katie Odgaard
Zyme Communications
Tel: +44 (0)7787 502 947
Email katie.odgaard@zymecommunications.com