Caliper introduces novel fluorescent imaging agent for pre-clinical research

Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: CALP), a leading provider of tools and services for drug discovery, life sciences research and molecular diagnostics, today announced the launch of XenoLight(TM) RediJect(TM) COX-2 Probe (Fluorocoxibs), a novel fluorescent imaging agent for pre-clinical research that specifically detects the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) biomarker noninvasively in live animal models as well as in ex vivo tissue analysis applications. The COX-2 fluorescent probe technology was invented at the research laboratory of Dr. Lawrence Marnett at Vanderbilt University and is licensed to Caliper.

"COX-2 is over-expressed in a variety of inflammatory and neoplastic diseases.  The opportunity to non-invasively image COX-2 offers promise for both the early detection of disease and monitoring therapeutic response.  The fluorocoxib probe should be valuable to investigators in multiple disciplines, including cancer research," said Professor Andrew Dannenberg, Director of Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medical College, a research leader in the field of COX-2 in oncology and inflammation.

Researchers can gain an understanding of therapeutic efficacy in specific patient populations by monitoring key biomarker response to a drug treatment. These findings then help tailor patient-specific therapeutic strategies to improve outcomes and advance the scope of personalized medicine.  For example, COX-2 detection in tumors has become an important tool in predicting the outcome of various chemotherapy treatments, including advanced lung cancer. Caliper's RediJect COX-2 probe provides the ability to non-invasively detect COX-2 in early-stage cancer cells, with a level of sensitivity and accuracy not attainable by conventional methods.  

"Personalized therapies to treat specific patient populations are becoming reality," said Kevin Hrusovsky, President and CEO of Caliper Life Sciences. "Our partnership with Professor Lawrence Marnett, the inventor of the COX-2 probe and a prolific author and thought leader in the field, will further catalyze research in biomarker response, helping to provide insight into the development of new or rescued targeted therapies.  Caliper remains committed to providing translational research technology and services focused on further realizing the full potential of personalized medicine."

The RediJect COX-2 probe is the latest in an expanding range of reagents for Caliper's IVIS® and Maestro® optical imaging systems, and our Trio(TM), Nuance® and Vectra® tissue analysis systems. Caliper's portfolio of industry-leading pre-clinical imaging technology complements an expansive range of imaging reagents optimized to enable researchers to monitor various biological events, in live models and in excised tissue samples.  Caliper offers a variety of fluorescent and bioluminescent reagents that can be applied in a range of therapeutic areas, including oncology, infectious diseases, inflammation, neurology and stem cell research.