EMERYVILLE, Calif. and MARSEILLE, France, Dec. 02, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Berkeley Lights, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLI), a leader in digital cell biology, and MImAbs SAS, an emerging CRO that discovers and develops antibodies for immunotechnology therapeutics and research, today announced the acquisition of the Berkeley Lights Beacon® system via a TechAccess subscription to help further its mission of helping its customers in the generation and validation of novel therapeutic antibodies against cancer and inflammatory diseases.

This marks the first Beacon platform to be used in France, which enables MImAbs to further their commitment to providing their research institutions, public technology transfer offices, biotech and biopharma customers with a fully integrated platform for antibody-based therapeutic development in the cancer and inflammation fields. The Beacon platform will replace MImAbs’ hybridoma system.“We are pleased to be leading the way in antibody discovery with Berkeley Lights,” said Thierry Jean, chief executive officer of MImAbs. “In our initial testing of the Beacon system, the results were more than we even thought possible. With its abilities to deliver against a range of targets that fail with traditional technologies, increase yields and diversity in the other cases and under timelines that are weeks and not months, the Beacon system is a clear competitive advantage for us. Our skills in immunization and immunogen design, generation of screening tools such as high expression transfectants and downstream biology of monoclonal antibodies provide an ideal environment to take full advantage of the technology.”MImAbs evaluated a variety of technologies and selected the Beacon system based on its proven capabilities related to speed and depth of repertoire analysis:

• Capacity to screen 40,000-100,000 B cells compared to only 1,500-3,000 with hybridoma leading to 50-100 leads;
• Timing reduced by nearly 90%; from 60 days with hybridoma to 7 days with the Beacon system; and
• Ability to establish a cell-based assay with adherent cells within only 6 weeks after installation.

“We are looking forward to supporting MImAbs as they transition away from hybridoma technology to the most advanced antibody discovery platform on the market today,” said Berkeley Lights Chief Executive Officer, Eric Hobbs, Ph.D. “Investigators need faster and better discovery technologies to more rapidly and effectively serve patients and Berkeley Lights can help meet that need.”About MImAbsMImAbs was created as an independent company in December 2020 by the acquisition of the assets of the demonstrator of immunotherapy MI-mAbs, founded in 2011, an academic laboratory of Aix-Marseille University.Located in the historical birthplace of Marseille Immunopôle, the MImAbs’ building homes a fully integrated suite of platforms covering all steps leading to preclinical proof-of-concept. All R&D projects are managed in an industrial mindset by a multi-disciplinary team of experts specifically dedicated to antibody engineering, biochemistry, bioproduction and immunopharmacology. MImAbs has also established and continues to set up strategic scientific and technological partnerships both with academia and industry, notably with CIPHE (Transgenic mouse model engineering and immunomonitoring).About Berkeley LightsBerkeley Lights is a leading digital cell biology company focused on enabling and accelerating the rapid development and commercialization of biotherapeutics and other cell-based products for our customers. The Berkeley Lights Platform captures deep phenotypic, functional and genotypic information for thousands of single cells in parallel and can also deliver the live biology customers desire in the form of the best cells. Our platform is a fully integrated, end-to-end solution, comprising proprietary consumables, including our OptoSelect™ chips and reagent kits, advanced automation systems, and application software. We developed the Berkeley Lights Platform to provide the most advanced environment for rapid functional characterization of single cells at scale, the goal of which is to establish an industry standard for our customers throughout their cell-based product value chain.Berkeley Lights’ Beacon® and Lightning™ systems and Culture Station™ instrument are FOR RESEARCH USE ONLY. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.Forward-Looking StatementsTo the extent that statements contained in this press release are not descriptions of historical facts regarding Berkeley Lights or its products, they are forward-looking statements reflecting the current beliefs and expectations of management. Such forward-looking statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that relate to future events, and actual results and product performance could differ significantly from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Berkeley Lights undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties relating to the Company’s growth and continual evolution see the statements in the "Risk Factors" sections, and elsewhere, in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.Media ContactsPR@berkeleylights.comInvestor ContactIR@berkeleylights.comSource: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/12/02/2345097/0/en/Berkeley-Lights-Debuts-in-France-as-MImAbs-Acquires-the-Beacon-Optofluidic-System-for-Antibody-Discovery.html