Roche and RiNA have agreed to transfer the Roche Applied Science RTS Protein Expression portfolio to German company, RiNA, effective September 15, 2009.
Under the agreement, RiNA will contribute in manufacture the products and continue production. 5 PRIME of Hamburg will be responsible for sales, support, and distribution of the RTS portfolio worldwide. Both partners are committed to maintain quality and price of RTS products, the company reported.
Manfred Baier, head of Roche Applied Science, said: “Roche Applied Science is focusing on innovative technologies in genomics, and we believe that a company specialising in proteomics will be able to develop the potential of RTS technology much faster than we can.”
Leo Tristram, CEO of RiNA, said: “The RTS cell-free expression kits ideally complement the RiNA product portfolio and its dedicated customer-specific service for cell-free biosynthesis. Together with 5 PRIME products for purifying and detecting recombinant proteins, RTS technology will form a strong basis for joint development of innovative products in this dynamic field.”
Bernd Haase, CEO of 5 PRIME, said: “This agreement allows us to address the attractive market for cell-free protein expression with a well established product line. RTS products are renowned for overcoming a key bottleneck in functional proteomics – limited access to pure proteins. The unique technology underlying RTS kits generates high protein yields and will serve as a cornerstone of 5 PRIME’s proteomics line.”
RiNA has been working with Roche for a number of years and was involved in the development of the RTS technology.