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Semarion Ltd, a University of Cambridge spin-out company from the Cavendish Laboratory combining materials engineering and cell biology to tackle unmet drug screening needs, has announced the opening of its Early Adopter Programme for its SemaCyte Microcarrier Platform. The platform overcomes current limitations associated with adherent cell culture and assaying workflows by enabling small colonies of cells to be moved and frozen in their adherent state, increasing the volume of data collected per experiment and reducing the resource demands of in vitro drug discovery.
Researchers are now invited to register their interest to be included in the Company’s Early Adopter Programme, which will allow access to the SemaCyte Microcarrier Platform and provide first-hand experience of how the technology can improve drug discovery workflows. Semarion is also offering demonstrations via a webinar, and a demonstration day at its laboratories in Cambridge.
Jeroen Verheyen, Co-Founder & CEO, Semarion, said: “We are delighted to open the Early Adopter Programme for our SemaCyte Microcarrier Platform to researchers working in drug discovery. Semarion has seen an exciting period of recent growth over the past year, including development of our in-house manufacturing suite, granting of our first patent, winning the Business Weekly Pathfinder award, and expansion of our internal, team. Reaching the next stage of development with this programme is a key milestone in our shift towards commercialisation.”
SemaCytes, developed by Semarion, are a novel class of cell carrier materials, created using microchip fabrication technologies, nanomagnetism, and smart materials. These assaying microcarriers are flat and function as ultra-miniaturised, magnetically steerable wells which carry small colonies of adherent cells into suspension to improve cell-based experiments. They enable the controlled movement of cell types which need to stick to a surface, namely those typically used for in vitro drug discovery work. By facilitating workflow automation, assay miniaturisation, and adherent cell freezing, this technology improves the quality and reproducibility of cell screening data while reducing the time and cost to deliver research outputs. SemaCytes integrate with existing workflows and are compatible with various multi-well plate formats, liquid handling tools, and imaging tools such as high-content screening equipment.
Dr Del Trezise, Advisor and Non-Executive Director, Semarion, commented: “Early feedback from real-world users will further validate the potential of Semarion’s technology and demonstrate its efficacy across drug discovery workflows. The SemaCyte Microcarrier Platform is uniquely positioned to address a significant market opportunity and revolutionise in vitro drug discovery by innovating adherent cell assays to produce better data, faster.”