New Collaboration to Develop New xCELLigence System Assays for Stem Cell and Cancer Research

ACEA Biosciences Inc. and Vivo Biosciences Inc. have entered into a collaboration for the further development of label-free and real-time cell based assays for the xCELLigence System, which is co-developed by Roche.

The new assays will incorporate Vivo Biosciences’ proprietary platform HuBiogel. HuBiogel is a human-derived, natural, biomatrix system which allows for growth, proliferation, and differentiation of primary cells, cancer cells, and stem cells in a 3D format and physiologically relevant environment that closely mimics the in vivo environment.

The xCELLigence system encompasses a series of RTCA Instruments that utilizes specially fabricated micro plates containing microelectrodes for real-time dynamic monitoring of cell behaviour under label-free conditions. A number of cell-based applications, including cell proliferation and cytotoxicity, cell adhesion, cell migration, and invasion and receptor-mediated signalling have been developed on the xCELLigence Platform.

According to James P. O’Connell the CEO of ACEA Biosciences, “The new HuBiogel-based assays will further increase the application field for the xCELLigence System, in low and high-throughput formats.”

Dr. Raj Singh, President and CEO of Vivo Biosciences, commented, “HuBiogel is the first commercially available, fully-defined human- biomatrix, and we have already demonstrated that cellular behaviour can be very different using HuBiogel compared to other types of matrix.” Dr. Singh went on to say, “We are confident that real-time and dynamic monitoring of stem cells or cancer cells growing in HuBiogel and dynamically monitored by the xCELLigence System will provide extremely useful and incisive information for basic research as well as drug discovery and development.”

“Roche Applied Science believes that the combination of its unique cell invasion monitoring technology with a human biomatrix can significantly support and accelerate oncology research in analyzing the invasive potential of tumor cells", stated Ruedi Stoffel, Life Cycle Leader for Cellular Analysis at Roche Diagnostics.