Allele and Addgene Partner to Increase Academic Access to the World’s Brightest Monomeric Fluorescent Protein

SAN DIEGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/search?q=%24Cell&src=ctag” target=”_blank”gt;$Celllt;/agt; lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Allele_Biotech?src=hash” target=”_blank”gt;#Allele_Biotechlt;/agt;–Allele Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals Inc., a San Diego based
biotechnology company focused on the development and clinical
translation of cutting-edge technologies, has partnered with Addgene, a
global nonprofit organization helping scientists share plasmids, to
further facilitate academic use of mNeonGreen. Addgene will leverage its
field-leading distribution platform to increase the availability of
mNeonGreen constructs to researchers around the world.

First reported in the journal Nature Methods in 2013 (Shaner
et al.), mNeonGreen is the brightest monomeric fluorescent protein
available on the market. Upon its release, Allele’s CEO Dr. Jiwu Wang
stated, “mNeonGreen surpasses eGFP in every way, it’s brighter, more
photostable, enables superresolution imaging, and is compatible with
imaging equipment used for eGFP. It will replace eGFP as the fluorescent
protein of standard.”

Since its release, mNeonGreen has been available exclusively at Allele
Biotechnology, under a novel licensing model created by Allele
specifically for academic users (Nature
Methods: Technology Feature). According to Allele’s Marketing
Director, Abbas Hussain, “Our licensing model was developed to simplify
access to mNeonGreen constructs and create a close-knit community to
share reagents and ideas of using the protein at far below market costs.
We wanted to be a part of the conversation so we could develop new tools
and closely assist our users. The model has been a huge success and we
appreciate the enthusiastic support from the community.”

Over the years a number of new tools have emerged harnessing mNeonGreen,
including species-specific and split versions of the protein and
outstanding voltage and calcium. Allele has also developed a camelid
derived VHH nanoantibody against mNeonGreen to enable various assays
such as co-immunoprecipitation and secondary labeling. Many users
further sub-cloned mNeonGreen into various plasmids or viral vectors, as
different fusions, or under different promoters. These developments have
spurred the discussions between Addgene and Allele to expand the
mNeonGreen distribution to the academic community and allow mNeonGreen
to truly establish itself as a fluorescent protein of standard.

Allele Biotechnology owns newly issued patents and pending applications
on the mNeonGreen protein and antibodies against it, and is still the
exclusive source for commercial licensing and opportunities related to
mNeonGreen. Allele has funded external research and is continuously
committed to developing novel tools that put to use the benefits of this
brilliant fluorescent protein. Our current licensees could receive extra
benefits from Allele such as nanoantibodies against mNeonGreen and
continued technical support by Allele’s expert team.

Contacts

Carole Zeleny, [email protected]