Uptempo Customer Taconic Supports COVID-19 Research

Note: This blog was originally posted in April 2020.

We wanted to take the time to highlight some important work one of our customers is undertaking for COVID-19 research.

Taconic Biosciences, which is based out of Rensselaer, N.Y., is a biotechnology company that generates and distributes genetically engineered rodents. Having provided research models for more than 65 years, the company is now offering a Coronavirus Toolkit, which includes subsidized pricing on models to be used in COVID-19 studies, such as vaccine R&D or antibody development.

Taconic explains that mouse models have been used extensively for research on the SARS-CoV virus, which is closely related to the new SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.

The company’s new toolkit offers a number of proprietary models, including the Ace2 knockout mouse, offered through a partnership with Lexicon Pharmaceuticals. This model is used specifically to study acute respiratory distress syndrome, a common complication of COVID-19.

In addition, Taconic is offering colony management solutions, which provide “relief to laboratories faced with restrictions, staff reductions or temporary closures,” as well as cryopreservation services, which “ensure the security of valuable genetically modified models for the future,” the company says.

“Taconic is proud to contribute to the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic,” said Nancy J. Sandy, CEO of Taconic, in a press release. “We take our mission to provide animal model solutions seriously and are committed to empowering COVID-19 research. We are investing significant resources to make these critical models available to enable immediate studies.”

More information can be found here.

Thanks for your hard work, Taconic!