December 7, 2009

Nigerian Defence Headquarters personnel commence computer science and Knowledge Management System training in Johnstown, PA.

ITSI, LLC today announced the arrival of 6 Nigerian Defence Headquarters (DHQ) personnel in Johnstown, PA to commence five months computer science and knowledge management system training. According to Richard I Somiari, President and CEO of ITSI,” the training is part of the MOU between DHQ and ITSI concerned with the design, construction and setting up of a prototype knowledge management system for DHQ”. Several organizations including Pennsylvania Highlands College, Johnstown PA; BIF Technologies, San Antonio, TX and ThreatGuard, San Antonio, TX have teamed up with ITSI, LLC to provide the training.

December 04, 2009

ITSI Biosciences is plea sed to announce the addition of Richard Cosgrove as Vice President of Operations and Business Development to the organization.

Mr. Cosgrove will be directly responsible for all aspects of business development and marketing to help ITSI Biosciences expand its domestic and international market share in academic, corporate and government sectors, as well as managing operations of the company’s business units.

According to Richard Somiari, PhD, President and CEO, “We are extremely pleased to have Rick join us at this important time in the growth of the company. Our future in the national and international market place is very bright, and Mr. Cosgrove will focus on consolidating existing markets and working to open up new business opportunities in government, the defense industry and pharmaceutical companies”.

Mr. Cosgrove comes with extensive marketing and management experience in the healthcare industry. He holds a Master’s degree in Liberal Arts/International Studies from Lock Haven University, Advanced Graduate Studies International Business Management certificate from Point Park University and a Bachelor of Science degree, in Marketing from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Rick has previously held positions at HealthSouth Corporation and University of Pittsburgh Medical Centers and is Adjunct Professor of Marketing/Management at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Greater Johnstown/Cambria County Chamber of Commerce, where he is the chairman, Government Action Committee. Mr. Cosgrove is a member of the I.U.P.  Eberly College of Business and Technology’s business advisory board, Johnstown Symphony Orchestra’s board of advisors and is chairman of the American Heart Association Cambria/Somerset Heart Ball 2010.

September 02, 2009

Armed Forces DNA Bank (AFDB) personnel commence DNA banking and analysis training at ITSI-Biosciences

Six members of the Nigerian Armed Forces DNA Bank (AFDB) representing the Army, Navy and Air force, arrived in Johnstown, PA today to commence DNA banking and analysis training at ITSI – Biosciences. The team will be in the United States for 8 months learning new DNA banking and analysis methods. According to Richard Somiari, PhD, President of ITSI – Biosciences “the training is part of the strategic relationship between ITSI – Biosciences and the Nigerian Defense Headquarters concerned with the establishment of a state-of-the art DNA bank and analysis center for the Nigerian military”. When fully implemented, the Nigerian Defence Headquarters DNA banking initiative which is the first military large-scale DNA banking initiative of its kind in Africa will have capacity to bank DNA from up to 100,000 military personnel.

AFDB Personnel From Left: Abiodun Ebenezer Adebiyi(Lt. Col, Army), Chidi Innocent Onuoha(L/Cpl, Army), Olarewaju Anthony Ogundele(PO Navy), Anthony Friday Akpan(FS, Air Force), Ikwoegbu Mba Igbe(Sqn. Ldr, Air Force), Livinus Ukachukwu(Lt. Cdr. Navy).

February 1 , 2009

ITSI – Biosciences moves into new larger facility with ISO Certified Clean Room

ITSIBIO today announced its movement into its new and larger facility. The new state-of-the-art facility in the Kernville district of Johnstown, PA is a green building with a “silver” status. The new facility includes more office space, expanded research laboratory and kit manufacturing space, and an ISO Certified Class 1000 clean room. This move is another step in our company’s’ growth strategy states Richard Somiari, PhD, founder and president of ITSI – Biosciences. ITSIBio continues to be successful in delivering innovative services, developing easy-to-use sample preparation kits and securing competitive grants for cancer biomarker development.

January 19, 2009

ITSI – Biosciences launches packaging for ITSIPrep products

ITSIBIO today announced the introduction of a new and improved packaging for its distinctive line of ITSIPrep™ products. The new colorful and distinctive packaging is a marketing tool that reflects the key attributes of ITSIPrep line of products. This new packaging replaces the plain white package that the company has been using for three years. According to Richard Somiari, PhD, President of ITSI – Biosciences this new package will distinguish ITSI – Biosciences products, and provide better protection to the contents during shipment of our innovative products to customers in the USA and around the world.

January 5, 2009

ITSI – Biosciences is a subrecipient of a 5 year $2 million RO1 grant to study prostate cancer

ITSI – Bioscience has announced that it is a Subrecipient of a $2 million 5 year RO1 grant awarded to Dr Karam El-Bayoumy of Penn State University Cancer Center. This NCI subaward will fund proteomics research at ITSI – Biosciences, focusing on the identification of biomarkers of prostate cancer risk. Specifically, ITSIBio will utilize high performance 2D-DIGE – MS and nano-LC/MS/MS to identify and characterize redox-sensitive proteins, and global proteomic patterns associated with the form and dose of selenium administered to human subjects, and those associated with the age of the subjects.

December, 2008

New lab, NCI funding provide ITSI-Biosciences with broader base for new breast-cancer detection test

Dr. Richard Somiari, the founder of ITSI Biosciences, a life-science enterprise in the Johnstown region, is preparing to move his company into its new headquarters by year's end--just in time to expand field investigations of a blood-sampling method that promises to increase the speed and lower the cost for early detection of breast cancer. That work received a $100,000 Small Business Innovation Phase I Research Grant from the National Cancer Institute in July.

After what appears to be a long search for the right space, ITSI-Bio's third move promises to be a charm for a four-year-old business that represents a bellwether for the efforts to attract a cluster of life-science enterprises to the Johnstown region.

"We've been carrying on our work in about 1,500 square feet and need the flexibility of a custom-built laboratory," Somiari says from his present location in the Kernville neighborhood of Johnstown, Cambria County. The new location will place the company, which provides analytical services and sampling kits for bioscience laboratories worldwide, in a 10,000-square-foot facility nearer the heart of Johnstown.

ITSI-Bio will initially occupy half of that area, where it will be able to broaden its basic analytical services to bioscience researchers. In addition to analytics, the company also offers kits for isolating, handling, testing, and monitoring proteins, as well as reagents used to tag biochemical reactions. "That business has kept the doors open while we have pursued our method for early breast cancer detection," Somiari says.

The detection protocol draws upon about 20 biological markers, some of which have been clearly associated with breast cancer and others that Somiari has identified for the blood-sample analysis that he hopes to demonstrate as a faster and more precise testing method.

While that goal has directed his passion as a scientist, he has been closely identified with the future of biotech in Johnstown. He came to the region from the University of Maryland in 2000 to start the Windber Research Institute, the region's first biomedical research institute. Only later did he form his own company to develop a commercial product--deciding, as he says, that it would be a good idea to practice the entrepreneurship that he had been preaching.

The NCI grant will finance expansion of the breast-cancer-test sampling and independent validations of results through UPMC McGee Hospital, Indiana Regional Medical Center, and the Department of Biomedical Informatics at the University of Pittsburgh. It will also support the development of algorithms to analyze results, as well as development of a Phase II NCI grant for up to $1 million.

Source: ITSI-Biosciences, Richard I. Somiari
Writer: Joseph Plummer
Original Article: http://www.keystoneedge.com/innovationnews/itsibio1204.aspx

November, 2008

ITSI–Biosciences receives $100,000 Phase 1 SBIR Grant from NCI for breast cancer research

ITSI – Bioscience www.itsibio.com has announced the receipt of a $100,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 grant from the National Cancer Institute. The grant will support ITSIBIO's ongoing blood-based breast cancer detection biomarker program that promises to provide an alternate method for earlier detection and accurate classification of breast malignancies.  

At the moment mammography is the most widely used screening tool for breast disease detection and diagnosis. Unfortunately, mammography can miss some breast cancers, especially in young women with dense breast, it cannot unequivocally distinguish between benign and malignant lesions and it can not be performed remotely. If successfully validated, the proposed blood test would be beneficial to all women who show abnormalities in their mammograms and require further testing. Most of these women currently endure biopsies, up to 80% of which are probably unnecessary, as no cancer is found.

According to Richard Somiari, PhD principal investigator for the study titled "development of a blood test for breast cancer detection" the grant will support a) the collection of blood samples from informed and consented female donors, b) multiplexed assay development using a suspended array technology and c) development of a prototype breast disease classification model. While there are other efforts around the world to develop biomarker based tests for breast disease detection and classification the "ITSIBIO blood test is unique in its approach, because, it could allow accurate classification of breast disease and employ a reliable and sensitive blood RNA detection method that does not require RNA isolation and polymerase chain reaction" added Dr Somiari.

Download PDF version

April, 2008

Life Sciences-Ltda of Sao Paulo, Brazil appointed exclusive distributor

ITSIBIO has signed a representation and distribution agreement with Life Sciences-Ltda (http://www.life-sciences.com.br), Sao Paulo, Brazil. This agreement, which is effective from March 14th 2008, gives Life Sciences exclusive rights to promote, market and distribute ITSIBIO products in Brazil. Clients in this territory can now place orders for all products available at (http://www.itsibio.com/index_intop.htm) through Life Sciences.

March, 2008

ITSIBIO signs distribution agreement with Precision Technologies PTE Ltd, Singapore

ITSIBIO has signed a representation and distribution agreement with Precision Technologies PTE Ltd, Singapore (www.pretech.com.sg). This agreement, which is effective March 17th 2008, gives Precision Technologies exclusive rights to promote, market and distribute ITSIBIO products in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Clients in this territory can now place orders for all ITSIBIO products (http://www.itsibio.com/index_intop.htm) through Precision Technologies. Orders can be place by Phone: +6273-4573, Fax 6273-8898 or E-mail: scitech@pretech.com.sg.

February, 2008

ITSIBio Facility Update
The new ITSIBio facility is to be completed in August 2008. Included below is and updated Artist Rendering of the new facility

Larger Image

January, 2008

NCI extends Blanket Purchase Agreement with ITSIBIO to 2010.

NCI (http://web.ncifcrf.gov/about/default.asp) has extended the Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA), originally signed with ITSIBIO in 2005, until 2010. This highly successful BPA which is managed by SAIC-Frederick (http://saic.ncifcrf.gov/company_overview.asp ), allows all NCI researchers to purchase genomics, proteomics and mass spectrometry services, and consumables from ITSIBIO at a pre-negotiated price. The BPA streamlines the process of outsourcing analytical support and locks-in lower prices for all investigators by leveraging economy of scale. Because the BPA contains legally binding confidentiality and non-disclosure clauses, researchers can fully discuss their experiments with the confidence that their ideas and scientific results will be safe and protected to the full extent required by law.

ITSIBIO receives Human Subject Research and ICH-GCP Certification.

ITSIBIO has received the “Human Subject Research” and “International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) – Good Clinical Practice (GCP)” certifications. ICH-GCP (http://www.ich.org/cache/compo/276-254-1.html) brings together the regulatory authorities of Europe, Japan and the United States and experts from the pharmaceutical industry to ensure protection of human subjects and allow a “more economical use of human, animal and material resources, and the elimination of unnecessary delay in the global development and availability of new medicines whilst maintaining safeguards on quality, safety and efficacy, and regulatory obligations to protect public health”. ICH-GCP facilitates the dissemination and communication of information on harmonized guidelines, and the use such information/guidelines to encourage the implementation and integration of common standards. This significant milestone means that ITSIBIO’s staffs have a working knowledge of the principles and ethics associated with good clinical practices, understands Good Clinical Practices dictated by FDA (http://www.fda.gov/oc/gcp/regulations.html) and the ICH Requirements for Sponsors, Monitors, and Investigators. ITSIBIO affirms that all projects performed at ITSIBIO will strictly adhere to “Use of Human Subject Research” and “ICH-GCP” guidelines to allow the submission of the data for regulatory approval. Both certifications were received through the Collaborative Institution Training Initiative (CITI, http://www.citiprogram.org/).

ITSIBIO signs agreement with BioConsult, Jerusalem, Israel.

ITSIBIO has appointed BioConsult, Jerusalem, Israel (http://www.bioconsult.co.il/ ) as the exclusive distributor and representative in Israel. The agreement signed December 2007, gives BioConsult exclusive rights to promote, market and distribute all ITSIBIO products and services in Israel. Clients in Israel can now place orders through BioConsult via phone or by visiting their website. Please visit http://www.itsibio.com/index_intop.htm to see products now available to customers in Israel.

ITSIBIO signs collaboration agreement with University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa.

ITSIBIO has signed a collaboration agreement with the University of Western Cape Proteomics Research Group. Under the agreement, signed December 2007, both parties will collaborate in the areas of proteomics and sample preparation reagent development.

ITSI-Biosciences signs collaboration and distribution agreement with Innovative Biotech Ltd, Keffi Nigeria.

ITSIBIO enters the Nigerian market by signing a collaboration agreement with Innovative Biotech Limited (IBL), Keffi, Nigeria (www.innovativebiotechng.com). Under the agreement signed November 2007, ITSIBIO and IBL will collaborate to develop diagnostic assays for infectious diseases of national interest to Nigeria and the West African region. A distribution agreement signed in December 2007 during the visit of Simon Agwale, PhD, IBL CEO, to ITSIBIO head office in Johnstown, PA also gives IBL the exclusive rights to market, distribute and support ITSIBIO, Panomics Inc. and GenVault Inc products and services in Nigeria. All orders in the Nigerian market should now be placed through IBL Nigeria. Please visit http://www.itsibio.com/index_intop.htm to see the products now available to customers in Nigeria through IBL.

Bin Ali Medical Supplies appointed distributor for the Middle East market.

ITSIBIO announced today the appointment of Bin Ali Medical Supplies (BAMS), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (http://www.binalimed.com/) as the exclusive distributor and representative in the Middle East. The agreement signed in October 2007, allows BAMS to promote, market and distribute all ITSIBIO’s products and services in the Middle East. Clients in Middle East can now place orders through BAMS. Please visit http://www.itsibio.com/index_intop.htm to see products now available to customers in the Middle East through BAMS.

May, 2007
ITSIBIO enters the Indian market by signing an exclusive agreement with SR Biosytem of New Delhi. Under the agreement signed May 2007, SR Biosytem will promote, market and distribute all ITSIBIO’s line of products, accessories and services in India. All orders in the Indian sub-continent should now be placed through SR Biosystem.

April, 2007
ITSI signs an exclusive agreement with Separation Scientific (SA) (PTY) Ltd, of South Africa. Under the agreement that is effective from April 2007, Separation Scientific will promote, market and distribute all ITSIBIO’s products and services in the South Africa and other neighboring countries. Clients in Southern Africa should now place orders through Separation Scientific (SA) (PTY).

December 5 , 2006
Pennsylvania Governor Rendell announces the investment of $500,000 to enable ITSI to expand its research facility and operations.
Read the official press release on the PA PowerPort website.
Read the Tribune-Democrat feature article on Itsibio.
Download the Tribune-Democrat feature article (with photo) on Itsibio.
Download the invitation to the groundbreaking of Itsibio's new facility.


Architect's rendering of new ITSI research facility
(Click to enlarge)

September 7, 2006
ITSI signs a collaboration agreement with the Advancement Center, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria. Under this agreement ITSI will work with the College of Medicine to develop integrated biomedical research programs and a biorepository to support cancer and complex disease research.

August 15, 2006
ITSI signs an exclusive Representative and Distributorship agreement with InterSciences Inc., Markham Ontario, Canada. Under this agreement, InterSciences will promote, market and distribute the ITSIPREP™ line of products and easy-to-use kits for protein isolation, protein fractionation, protein precipitation, albumin removal and protein assay in Canada.

June 2006
Dr Munir O. Azeez (Col.) of the Nigerian Army Medical Corps (NAMC) joins ITSI for six months advanced biomedical research training, as part of the training and collaboration agreement between ITSI and NAMC. Dr Azeez is interested in applying advanced proteomic technologies to study tissue from patients diagnosed with temporo-mandibular joint disease.

May 2006
ITSI signs an exclusive distribution agreement with Funakoshi Japan. Funakoshi will promote, market and sell the ITSIPREP™ line of products in Japan.

www.funakoshi.co.jp

April 2006
ITSI signs a non-exclusive Sales Representative Agreement with Grace Scientific LLC, Clarksburg, MD, USA. Grace Scientific will promote, market and sell ITSI’s services, especially 2D-DIGE and 2D-Image analysis services and all the ITSIPREP™ line of products in the Maryland, Washington DC and Virginia area.

March 2006
ITSI signs an exclusive Representative and Distributorship agreement with Rainbow Biotechnology Co., Taipei, Taiwan. Rainbow will promote, market and distribute the ITSIPREP™ line of products including optimized and easy-to-use kits for protein isolation, protein fractionation, protein precipitation, albumin removal and protein assay.

www.rainbowbiotech.com.tw