Guava launch new turnkey assays
suite of personal cell analysis systems, which intends to make drug
discovery applications in the areas of immunology and oncology more
sensitive and accurate.
The Guava CellToxicity assay is ideal for traditional effector cell assays, such as CMC/CDC (cell mediated or cell-dependent cytotoxicity), ADCC (antibody dependent cell mediated cytotoxicity) and NK assays (natural killer assay), all essential processes in drug R&D.
The assay uses a simple, non-radioactive assay that is as easy to use as population-based methods, but has superior sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility. The Guava CellPaint Assay offers single cell analysis capabilities for mixed cell cultures without the complexity of traditional methods.
Kim Mulcahy, director of product marketing at Guava Technologies told DrugResearcher.com: "Launching the Guava CellToxicity assay was supporting our overall product strategy to offer single-cell analysis assays that are easy to use and optimized, thus reducing assay development time for routine assays performed in the life sciences."
"The Guava CellToxicity Assay, when combined with our Guava PCA instrument reduces assay development time by one third to one fifth."
The assays use a cell tracking dye optimised for use on the Guava PCA systems. This dye diffuses into cells and is retained without affecting cellular function. As a result the assay is more sensitive, specific than population-based tests and assay development time is reduced compared to traditional methods.
The Guava CellToxicity assay also provides all relevant statistics, including percentage of cells killed, as well as effector and target cell percentages making it suitable for pharma and biotech companies that have an immunology/oncology focus for drug discovery.
She added: "Medical research establishments that use real patient samples to study the effects of drugs; academic and government organizations that are performing basic research in the fields of immunology and oncology will find this technology useful."
Guava's CellPaint Assay allows users to conduct mixed culture assays with the sensitivity of single-cell based methods and the throughput and ease of use of a microplate reader. Using the same fluorescent dye employed by the CellToxicity Assay or user-defined dual colour options, users can differentiate cell populations more easily than traditional methods. The result is reduced assay development time and increased laboratory productivity.
She added: "Similar processes currently on the market include fluroescence microplate reader methods, MTT and LDH. However they are not as sensitive and require lots of assay development time to get to work."
The Guava CellToxicity assay is available now at $225(€186) for 100 tests.
