Takara Bio's Japanese patent 3433929 issued on May 30, 2003, for ICAN (Isothermal and Chimeric primer-initiated Amplification of Nucleic acids) method. Takara Bio Inc. (President & CEO: Ikunoshin Kato) filed patent application in Japan, the US, Europe and other major countries in the world for ICAN method, an isothermal DNA amplification method developed by Biotechnology Research Laboratories at Takara Bio in September 2000.

ICAN method is a highly efficient isothermal DNA amplification method, which uniquely amplifies DNA at constant temperature (under isothermal condition) by using chimeric primers, RNase H, and DNA polymerase with strand displacing activity and template switching activity (BcaBEST^TM DNA polymerase, patent registered by Takara Bio Inc.).

Unlike PCR method, ICAN method requires no instruments for temperature shifting. Following binding of chimeric primers and templates, complementary strands are synthesized by DNA polymerase. RNase H will later cut out RNA portions derived from chimeric primers. Consequently, elongation reaction begins from the site at which the RNA portions have been cut out, accompanied by strand displacement and template switching. This chain reaction is repeated, amplifying genes of interest. In PCR method, single-stranded DNA products are generated in the process of reaction, which causes unnecessary interaction among DNA strands that have been amplified as the reaction proceeds; such unnecessary interaction eventually stops the reaction. In ICAN method, however, single-stranded DNA products are not generated in the process of reaction; because of no unnecessary interaction, double-stranded DNA products keep being generated.

Because amplification reaction occurs without changing temperature, ICAN method enables to scale up reaction system easily and produce DNA fragments at low cost. Since May 1, 2002, we have sold ICAN^TM DNA, which has DNA fragments to be used for DNA chips and for other purposes using ICAN technology. In addition, we have also launched the following products for research use: four kits of "Bed-Side ICAN^TM Series" including carbapenem-resistant Bacteria Detection Kit, which enables detection at bedside of patients, human aldehyde dehydrogenase gene typing kit, and detection kit for polymorphic glutathione S-transferase M1 gene deletion.

With PCR SARS virus detection kit launched on the market, Takara Bio Inc. is currently accelerating development of ICAN kit for detection of SARS virus at bedside.

We are also developing various kinds of diagnostic kits with ICAN method. We plan to file an approval application for Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex detection reagent as an in vitro diagnostic agent early in June 2003 to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Diagnostic agents with ICAN method are manufactured by our company, and will be marketed by Medeca Japan Co., Ltd. (Konosu City, Saitama).

Takara Bio Inc. will continue developing ICAN-related products to further advance our business in biotechnology research and biomedical fields; we also consider partnership with other companies both in Japan and abroad to progress our businesses.

About Takara Bio Inc.
Takara Bio Inc. is an innovative biotechnology company based in Shiga, Japan. As a world leader in biotechnology research and development, Takara Bio was the first company to market PCR technology in Japan and is also the developer of the RetroNectin™ reagent, which is a world-standard in gene therapy protocols. In addition to providing research reagents and equipment to the life science research market, Takara Bio has active research and product development activities in the fields of gene and cell-based therapy, and agricultural biotechnology; and is committed preventing disease and improving the quality of life for all people through the use of biotechnology. Through strategic alliances with other industry leaders, the Company aims to extend its reach around the world. More information is available at http://www.takara-bio.com.

For more information:
Corporate Communications
Takara Bio Inc.
E-mail: bio-ir@takara-bio.co.jp

This article is translated from press release in Japanese for your convenience.

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