JOIN Open Target Initiative (OTI)

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The Open Target Initiative (OTI) provides early access to MICRO-TAG® reagents for exploratory studies of cellular target engagement. OTI is designed as a community-driven research program and is not intended for structured evaluation or deployment within drug discovery programs.

The program is designed to:

• Enable hands-on evaluation of MICRO-TAG® Real-Time Cell Target Engagement reagents
• Support studies on protein quantification and real-time cellular target engagement
 

Participants may select from a pool of 100+ validated targets; or propose new targets for evaluation (fee for new targets to be validated for use with MICRO-TAG ® reagents). Participation is limited and subject to approval. 

OTI is open to:

• Academic research laboratories
• Non-profit research institutions
• Select early-stage biotech companies (<75 employees) for exploratory, non-programmatic evaluation only

Applications are reviewed based on:

• Scientific relevance of the study
• Feasibility of the proposed study
• Availability of a compatible real-time qPCR instrument in the lab

Approved participants receive:

• MICRO-TAG® Real-Time Cell Target Engagement reagents (evaluation-scale MICRO-TAG® reagents (limited format))
• Selected target plasmids (validated or new)
• Protocol and onboarding support
• Access to recurring Target Engagement Workshops
• Opportunity to contribute to the OTI research community

Reagents are provided in limited quantities for small-scale evaluation only.

A nominal participation fee supports participation in the OTI program. The participation fee includes: 

• MICRO-TAG® Real-Time Cell Target Engagement reagents
• Target plasmid
• Onboarding support
• One-time shipment of reagents 

Final scope and pricing are confirmed upon acceptance. 

MICRO-TAG® assay and reagents are proprietary to CellarisBio and their use is limited to the scope of the OTI.  OTI reagents are intended for:

• Exploratory experiments
• Proof-of-concept studies
• Method familiarization

Not permitted:

• Drug discovery studies of any scale, including internal target validation, screening campaigns, or any research supporting therapeutic programs

• Commercial applications

• Research collaborations with a third party

• Integration into internal platforms

• Modifications to the reagents or the assay system 

OTI evaluations may not be used to inform, support, or advance internal drug discovery programs without a separate written engagement with CellarisBio. Expanded use may be supported through CellarisBio services or licensing agreements.

Participants agree to:

• Designate a primary point of contact
• Use reagents for non-commercial research only
• Provide feedback within ~2 months of receiving reagents
• And/or share non-confidential data

Participants are also expected to:

• Acknowledge MICRO-TAG® use in a workshop, webinar or testimonial within ~3 months. 

Participants may:

• Share anonymized or non-confidential results

• Publish any data with acknowledgement of CellarisBio
• Contribute to application notes or case studies
• Participate in joint discussions and workshops

Select participants may be considered for future reagent support grants, based on engagement and data contribution. Any public use of participant data will require prior approval.

MICRO-TAG® technology, reagents, and workflows remain the property of CellarisBio.

Participants retain ownership of:

• Their biological samples
• Experimental results and discoveries

Participants may not:

• Modify and alter MICRO-TAG® reagents in any way outside the provided protocol
• Reproduce, reverse engineer reagents
• Transfer reagents to third parties

OTI is designed for early-stage evaluation only.

Program limitations include:

• Limited number of targets per lab (typically ≤2)
• No support for custom development 

OTI does not support internal assay transfer, scaling, or workflow integration.

Expanded studies require commercial engagement with CellarisBio.

Participants are invited to join:

• Recurring Target Engagement Workshops (via Zoom)
• Interactive discussions on experimental design and data interpretation

These sessions support:

• Experimental success
• Knowledge exchange
• Collaboration across labs

Participation is highly selective and capacity-limited, with priority given to academic collaborations, target validation and real-time application expansion. 

Access is prioritized based on:

• Scientific alignment
• Target and study relevance
• Instrument compatibility
• Available program capacity

Qualified applicants may be placed on a waitlist.