Transposagen Biopharmaceuticals announces new TGEM Rat Model product line

Transposagen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., based in Lexington, KY, has announced today that it has added 170 genetically modified rats and related biomaterials to its database of laboratory rats with a genetic modification that can mimic a human disease. These animals are used by academic, pharmaceutical, and biotech scientists for drug discovery and development research and will be sold under Transposagen's new TGEM(TM) Rat Models brand.  A complete list of genetically modified and knockout rat models being offered by Transposagen is listed on their website – www.transposagenbio.com.

The new TGEM™ Rat Models include tumor suppressors, G protein-coupled receptors, and serotonin receptors.  One showcase model is the Tumor Protein 53 (TP53) or p53 TGEM™ Rat Model.  It is believed that more than 50 percent of human tumors contain a mutation or deletion of the TP53 gene. "A rat model lacking the function of this important gene will be a valuable tool for cancer biology and xenotransplantation studies," said Dr. Eric Ostertag, President and CEO of Transposagen.  

Other new TGEM™ Rat Models include:

• Rag1 – recombination activating gene 1 – immunodeficiency model
• BCRP (aka Abcg2) - Breast cancer resistance protein 1
• Mc4r - melanocortin 4 receptor – Obesity Model
• Ccr4  - C-C chemokine receptor type 4
• Cxcr2 (aka IL8rb) - High affinity interleukin-8 receptor B or chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 2
• IgE (aka Ighe) - Ig epsilon chain C region
• GPR - over 100 different G Protein-Coupled Receptors

"Major pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, and academic researchers have not had access to rat models of these genes in the past," said Dr. Ostertag.  "Our new TGEM™ Rat Model product line coupled with our existing TKO(TM) Knockout Rat Model line further supports our reputation of being the worldwide leader in genetically modified rats."