OZ Biosciences - Innovative molecular delivery systems specialising in transfection and transduction tools - Distributed in the UK & Ireland by Caltag Medsystems
Oz Biosciences
OZ Biosciences creates, develops, and produces innovative molecular delivery systems specialising in transfection and transduction tools. They focus on delivery technologies of biomolecules such as DNA, RNA, and protein for in vitro and in vivo applications.
Their mission is to provide cutting-edge transfection and transduction reagents to enable life sciences researchers to achieve outstanding success. The company has established a strong position in the field of molecular delivery system with several patents and know-how for Magnetofection™, Magneto-biolisitic, magnetic-assisted transduction, Polyfection, Lipofection and 3D transfection, technologies.
OZ Biosciences' Technologies
Magnetofection™
Magnetofection™ is a simple and highly efficient transfection method to transfect primary cells and hard to transfect cells.
Magnetofection™'s principle is to associate nucleic acids, transfection reagents or viruses with specific magnetic nanoparticles. The resulting molecular complexes are then concentrated and transported into cells supported by an appropriate magnetic field. In this way, the exploitation of a magnetic force exerted upon gene vectors allows a very rapid concentration of the entire applied vector dose on cells, so that 100% of the cells get in contact with a significant vector dose and promotes cellular uptake.
Lipofection
Lipofection is a lipid-based transfection technology which belongs to biochemical methods also including polymers, DEAE dextran and calcium phosphate.
Lipofection's principle is to associate nucleic acids with a cationic lipid formulation. The resulting molecular complexes, known as lipoplexes, are then taken up by the cells.
The main advantages of lipofection are its high efficiency, ability to transfect all types of nucleic acids in a wide range of cell types, ease of use, reproducibility, and low toxicity. In addition, this method is suitable for all transfection applications (transient, stable, co-transfection, reverse, sequential or multiple transfections), high throughput screening assay and has also shown good efficiency in some in vivo models.
Polyfection (Polymer-based)
After the development of Magnetofection™ and Lipofection™, OZ Biosciences revolutionised Polyfection, with the design and synthesis of a novel patented Cationic Hydroxylated Amphiphilic Multi-block Polymer (CHAMP) which is biocompatible, cleavable, pH responsive and bi-functional.
OZ Biosciences created a new transfection agent based on the CHAMP technology to mark the separation from what is usually being done with classic transfection methods. This novel bi-functional copolymer is biocompatible, ionisable and pH sensitive. Formed by three moieties, it combines and introduces three synergistic notions:
- The concept of “passing through the membranes barriers” due to its charge, pH-sensitive and hydrophobic properties.
- The idea of “stealth transfection” where DNA is protected, masked, and supported all the way to its nuclear uptake.
- The concept of biocompatibility due to biodegradable and cleavable moieties
This polymer-based transfection technology is an optimised delivery system that allows high efficiency with low cellular stress thanks to improved delivery mechanisms.
i-MICST™
i-MICST™ Technology (integrated Magnetic Immuno-Cell Sorting and Transfection/ Transduction) is a platform that allows to genetically modify cells directly on magnetic cell purification columns. This technology combines cell isolation and genetic modification in one simple, efficient, and reliable integrated system.
Transfection Reagents & Tools
OZ Biosciences provides a range of transfection reagents, using their innovative Magnetofection, Lipofection and Polyfection technologies, for a variety of applications:
Gene Expression
OZ Biosciences produces DNA transfection reagents for gene expression. These reagents are for use with specific cells, cell lines or primary and difficult to transfect cells.
See all reagents for Gene Expression
Silencing
RNA interference is a powerful technique used to study gene function that knockdowns gene expression in cells. Short RNA duplexes interact and induce the degradation of their specific mRNA targets inhibiting protein production. OZ Biosciences provides transfection reagents that efficiently deliver the siRNA into cells, with minimal toxicity and without non-specific effects.
mRNA Transfection
mRNA transfection provides several advantages over plasmid DNA delivery, including: no need for nuclear uptake, mRNA translation into proteins occurs in the cytoplasm, faster protein expression than DNA transfection, no genomic integration and protein expression occurs in a promoter-independent manner. OZ Biosciences' RNA transfection reagents optimise in vitro mRNA transfection in a large variety of cells.
Read more on mRNA Transfection
See all reagents for mRNA Transfection
3D Transfection Reagents
3D matrices, activated with a 3D transfection reagent & DNA/RNA complex, are colonised by cells which are subsequently transfected in situ and in a more natural environment. A 3D transfection reagent associated with 3D matrices allows the study of angiogenesis, tube and acini formation, tissue engineering and regeneration, tumour invasion, neural differentiation, cellular polarisation, and more.
Protein Production
Transient transfection in mammalian cells has become the go-to method for obtaining milligram to gram quantities of recombinant proteins within days. A key to a successful TGE (Transient Gene Expression) system and efficient protein production is to use a specific and appropriate transfection reagent. OZ Biosciences have developed efficient transfection kits for large scale protein production.
Read more on Protein Production
See all reagents for Protein Production
In Vivo Delivery
In vivo Magnetofection™ combines magnetic nanoparticles and nucleic acid vectors that will be retained after injection at the magnetically targeted site. The targeted delivery minimises systemic distribution and reduces toxicity. Furthermore, the magnetic force enhances the uptake of magnetic nanoparticles by the target tissue, improving the efficiency of transfection or transduction.
Antibody & Protein Delivery
OZ Biosciences' have developed unique lipid-based reagents that allow the delivery of functional antibodies and proteins inside living cells. These reagents are serum compatible, ready-to-use and biodegradable, ensuring high cell viability.
Read more on Antibody & Protein Delivery
See all reagents for Antibody & Protein Delivery
Transfection Tools
To complement their vast range of transfection reagents, OZ Biosciences also provide a selection of transfection tools including tools for gene expression, fluorescent reagents, biochemicals, and antibiotics.
Transduction Reagents
Cells transduction represents a powerful tool to genetically modify a wide variety of cell lines, primary cells, tissues, and organs. OZ Biosciences provides a range of transduction reagents, using their Magnetofection and i-MICST technologies, for various viral applications:
Transduction and Infection Enhancers
OZ Biosciences' transduction and infection enhancers are available for all viral vectors, Lenti & Retro Virus, Adenovirus, and stem cells. Innovative technological solutions as well as chemical solutions are used to provide OZ Biosciences' full range of enhancers.
Virus Capture, Concentration and Conservation
Using magnetic virus concentration technology (magnetic nanoparticles), as well as chemical solutions, OZ Biosciences provides a selection of transduction reagents for the capture, concentration, and conservation of viruses.
Read more on Virus Capture, Concentration and Conservation
See all reagents for Virus Capture, Concentration and Conservation
Virus Production
OZ Biosciences provides a novel lipid-based transfection kit dedicated to enhancing viral particle production.
Cellular Assay Kits
Cellular assay kits are available for the following research areas:
Proteins – Transfection Controls
Protein/Antibody
OZ Biosciences provide proteins/antibodies that act as positive controls for their Antibody & Protein Delivery Transfection Reagents.
See all Protein/Antibody Transfection Controls
Plasmids
pVectOZ Transfection Control Plasmids are engineered in an optimised backbone and are ideal for all transfections. The transgene expression level depends on the promoter, enhancer, terminator, and plasmid backbone. The pVectOZ expression cassette was designed to express transgene product in many mammalian cells and tissues. This vector has been modified to eliminate sequences affecting transgene expression levels while optimising those critical for the high levels of expression. The final expression cassette accommodates the high levels of transgene expression in mammalian cells as well as high yield of plasmid production in Escherichia coli. The resulting plasmid is the ideal vector for expression in vitro and in vivo.
mRNAs
OZ Biosciences offers mRNAs that mimic fully processed mature mRNAs. These mRNAs are stabilised with 5' Cap 1 structure and 3' poly(A) tail and are optimised to yield improved stability & performance. They are modified with 5-methoxyuridine (5moU replaces U) or N1-methyl-pseudouridine (N1-mψ) to reduce innate immune responses. They also offer unmodified mRNAs.
Ready-to-use mRNAs are available in 6 categories:
- Reporter gene mRNAs: ideal controls to study transfection efficiency.
- Genome editing mRNAs: ideal for Genome editing.
- Vaccine mRNAs: ideal as controls for immunisation or vaccine studies.
- Gene Replacement mRNAs
- Fluorescent mRNAs
- Interleukin mRNAs
- Transcription Factor mRNAs
mRNA Production/Modification Kits
OZ Biosciences provides a selection of mRNA production/modification kits.
Lipid-Nanoparticles (LNPs)
RNA therapeutics have the potential to revolutionise medicinal fields as they are safe, easy to reproduce, and offer a great deal of versatility. However, naked mRNA therapeutics are generally unstable, require high doses, and show low permeability to cell membranes. Drug delivery systems are necessary to deliver mRNA for in vitro, pre-clinical and clinical applications. For this purpose, OZ Biosciences provides a portfolio of lipid nanoparticles (LNP) delivery systems.
LNPs are liposome-like structures, engineered for encapsulating a broad variety of nucleic acids and APIs. LNPs consist of an aqueous core surrounded by a lipidic shell based on a combination of 4 families of chemicals, each having distinct functions.
In the last 20 years, OZ Biosciences has developed strong expertise in aminated lipids, which allowed the screening of several tens formulations to develop optimised LNPs referred to as NanOZ-LNP. NanOZ-LNP have been designed as safe and advanced nanomaterials to potentiate nucleic acids/APIs activity through their effective encapsulation and delivery of payload to specific cell types and tissues.
Vaccine Adjuvants
Adjuvants allow the poor immunogenic properties of most protein, peptide, and DNA vaccines (lacking natural immune triggers) or the induction of inappropriate immune responses to be overcome. Thus, adjuvants can be used to enhance the immune response, orient the immune response through modulation of the Th1/Th2 balance and reduce the amount of antigen needed and the number of injections required to induce protection (antigen-dose sparing).
OZ Biosciences offers a large choice of research grade vaccine adjuvants for Protein and Nucleic Acid based vaccines.
Services
Custom mRNA Synthesis
With over 15 years of nucleic acid delivery expertise, OZ Biosciences is confident in providing you with the best-in-class service for the production of high-quality mRNAs.
They are able to synthesis custom mRNAs at microgram to multigram scales, from a few hundred up to several thousand bases, with a wide variety of modifications including 5' terminal modifications with cap, internal modification such as 5-methoxyuridine (other modified nucleotides are available) and 3' modification such as poly-A tail. Fluorescent labelling with Cy5, Cy3 or other options are also available.
This service includes:
- Synthesis of the gene, cloning and DNA template production
- mRNA synthesis by in vitro transcription
- Purification and quality control
Custom LNPs
OZ Biosciences has developed a Microfluidics Platform for the reproducible development of safe & potent drug delivery vehicles for pharmaceutical applications.
They can support every stage of your custom mRNA-LNP production, from mRNA synthesis to LNP formulation development, manufacturing, and fill & finish.
For any of RNA, DNA or APIs encapsulation, you can provide OZ Biosciences with your molecule of interest, and they will formulate it into LNPs.
Caltag Medsystems is here to support you every step of the way with your OZ Biosciences custom project.