Protein Biomarker Collaboration

Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc and Proteome Sciences plc announced the companies will collaborate to deliver innovative products for protein biomarker research. The collaboration unites the talent and resources of the proteomics reagent team at the Thermo Fisher Scientific Biomarker Research Initiatives in Mass Spectrometry (BRIMS) Centre with Proteome Sciences (PS) to further develop quantitative proteomic workflows that are based on best-in-class reagents and hardware and software for biomarker discovery and validation.

Proteome Sciences has installed Thermo Scientific LTQ Orbitrap Velos and TSQ Vantage mass spectrometer systems at its research laboratories in Frankfurt, Germany to extend its biomarker discovery and validation workflows. As part of the collaboration, Proteome Sciences will combine state-of-the-art Thermo Scientific mass spectrometry technology with its integrated PS Biomarker Services workflow that is powered by tandem mass tag (TMT™) reagents.

Proteome Sciences and Thermo Fisher Scientific have already been working together following the licensing of Proteome Science’s isobaric mass tagging reagents. The companies have recently expanded the range of products through the launch of a cysteine-reactive sixplex TMT® set and an anti-TMT® antibody used to enrich labelled peptides that improve sensitivity and breadth of coverage for many lowabundance proteins. Proteome Sciences holds patents covering the field of isobaric mass tagging, and further products will be launched in 2011 based on the core TMT chemistry.

Over the past three years, Proteome Sciences has been working with team members at the BRIMS Centre to adapt workflows for isotope dilution mass spectrometry assays based on the technique of selected reaction monitoring (SRM). With the installation of the highly sensitive TSQ Vantage triple quadrupole mass spectrometer and Thermo Scientific Accela LC system at its Frankfurt labs, Proteome Sciences will expand its relationship with BRIMS to develop its proprietary biomarker assays in Alzheimer’s disease and cancer to develop these for clinical research applications.