MDS Sciex introduces the CellKey System

CONCORD, ON, Sep. 8, 2005 (Canada NewsWire via COMTEX News Network) -- MDS Sciex, the analytical instruments division of MDS Inc. (TSX: MDS; NYSE: MDZ), announced today that it will unveil its new CellKeyTM System at the annual Society for Biomolecular Screening (SBS) Conference, September 11-15 in Geneva, Switzerland (Booth number 762).

The new MDS Sciex CellKeyTM System allows for the measurement of endogenous cell surface receptor activation in live cells and generates data that enables identification of the receptor coupling mechanism of unknown receptors (for example, orphan G protein-coupled receptors, GPCR's). The CellKeyTM System is based on cellular dielectric spectroscopy (CDS) technology, an approach that removes the requirement for fluorescent or radio-labeled markers from the drug discovery workflow, thereby simplifying assay development. The sensitivity of CDS' impedance-based measurement system enables the measurement of endogenous receptor targets in whole live cells and the generation of data that is more biorelevant than in other cellular screening systems.

Andy Boorn, President of MDS Sciex said, "We are very excited about the capabilities that the CellKeyTM System offers our drug discovery customers, many of whom were involved in providing feedback during its development. We expect that CellKeyTM System will allow our customers to simplify their assay design activities, address many of the bottlenecks currently experienced within secondary screening and lead optimization, and ultimately enable them to develop important new medicines more rapidly.

"The CellKeyTM System represents a major breakthrough for receptor measurements, being the first system that can be used to accurately monitor all differently-coupled GPCR's as well as tyrosine kinase coupled receptors and nuclear receptors on a single platform and using cells that express the receptors at natural levels." said Simon Pitchford, Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Service.

At the SBS Conference, a CellKeyTM System product tutorial will take place on Monday, September 12, 2005 at 8:00 am in Room D. Also, the System will be featured in a podium presentation on Thursday, September 15 at 11:45 am. Both of these presentations will include data collected in collaboration with leading pharmaceutical companies. In addition, six posters will be presented during the conference, four from data collected in collaboration with pharmaceutical partners.

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