BioReliance Launches Next-Generation Genotoxicity Screening Service

BioReliance Corporation, a leading contract services organization for the biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical industries, has contracted with Gentronix to offer their GreenScreen HC in vitro assay as a major part of BioReliance’s portfolio of genotoxicity screening services. GreenScreen HC, in conjunction with Ames II assays, allows pharmaceutical companies to test for genotoxic potential earlier in the preclinical development process, using only a few milligrams of test compound as opposed to the gram quantities required by current ICH regulatory tests.

John Nicholson, Chairman and CEO of Gentronix, comments, "We are delighted to complete this agreement with BioReliance, a company regarded as a global leader in genetic toxicology testing services." “This new high-throughput assay from Gentronix furthers BioReliance’s ability to meet customer demand for faster and more-effective genotoxic screening services,” adds David Bruning, Senior Director, Toxicology Operations at BioReliance. “The GreenScreen HC and Ames II assays, when combined, offer highly predictive and sensitive detection of genotoxic compounds while minimizing false positives seen with other in vitro assays, accelerating the development process.”

GreenScreen HC is a unique human cell-based genotoxicity screening assay that links the regulation of the human Growth Arrest and DNA Damage (GADD45a) gene to the production of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP). Cells that have incurred DNA damage upon exposure to a test compound express higher levels of detectable GFP.

GreenScreen HC only requires 1 mg of starting material to demonstrate high specificity, in contrast to other in vitro genetic toxicology assays that often provide false positive results. GreenScreen HC is able to detect multiple mechanistic classes of genotoxic agents, including aneugens, and is easily adapted to automatic robotic platforms.