Sigma Life Science extends research model portfolio
Introduces world\'s first p53 knockout rat to accelerate oncology and carcinogenicity screening
Sigma Life Science, the biological products and services brand of Sigma-Aldrich, has introduced the world's first p53 'knockout' rat model, an important development that is expected to significantly improve timelines for carcinogenicity screening and reduce time to market for therapeutics.
The p53 model, being developed through Sigma Advanced Genetic Engineering (SAGE) Labs, offers the potential for faster and more accurate predictions of how anticancer therapeutics work in humans and seeks to increase the understanding of this critical gene. Research applications include early carcinogenicity screening, chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic screening, and p53 pathway studies.
‘Over the past 12 months, SAGE Labs has been developing novel rat models, in which specific genes associated with defined disease conditions are deactivated or knocked-out, for use in disease research, especially in areas where the existing mouse models poorly mimic human disease,’ said Dr Edward Weinstein, director of SAGE Labs. ‘The addition of the p53 model extends our offering into oncology research and builds upon our existing portfolio, which targets applications across a number of fields including physiology, endocrinology, neurology and toxicology.
‘Using our proprietary CompoZr Zinc Finger Nuclease platform, we are able to develop mouse or rat models without the need for embryonic stem cells. This enables us to create founder animals in four to five months, which is about a third of the time it would take using a traditional approach.’
The colony of p53 knockout rats is currently being expanded and it is expected that cohorts of homozygous p53 knockout animals will be available to ship beginning in July 2010.