BERLIN, Germany, Dec. 11, 2001 (PRIMEZONE) -- atugen AG announced today that it has signed a collaboration with Oxford GlycoSciences (LSE:OGS) (Nasdaq:OGSI) to validate high priority disease-associated genetic targets of interest to OGS. The collaboration marks atugen's fifth agreement of the year and has established the Company as Europe's leading provider of expertise in genetic target validation.
Under the terms of the agreement, OGS will provide novel high-priority drug targets to atugen to enable validation in specific cell lines and in animal models of human disease. atugen will optimize its GeneBloc(r) and cellular delivery technologies to 'knock-down' the expression of these targets, thus inhibiting protein production, and hence validating biological function. Financial terms were not disclosed.
"We are pleased that OGS, a leader in proteomics-based drug discovery, has recognized atugen's GeneBloc technology as a means of validating their novel targets, with the aim of cutting the cost and time taken to develop new drugs," said Dr Zisi Fotev, VP of Business Development of atugen. "In the past twelve months atugen has achieved considerable growth and development through collaborations and alliances with some of the most prominent global biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. We expect to continue this progress in 2002."
atugen's GeneBloc(r) technology is based on the delivery of specially designed oligonucleotides that reduce expression of target genes in both in vitro and in vivo models of disease. The direct correlation between the reduction in target gene expression and the resulting effects on cellular function rapidly provides the validation required to move the target into drug screening and development. atugen's proprietary delivery reagents carry the GeneBlocs into the cells of interest, allowing for optimal inhibition of gene expression over many days with the least amount of unwanted side effects. In addition to providing rapid target validation, the GeneBlocs can further aid at various stages of the drug screening and development pipeline, for instance by serving as benchmark compounds during lead optimization and pre-clinical development. Hence, atugen believes that it can help partners select genetic targets of therapeutic value at an early stage in drug development, resulting in a decrease in the number of product failures and a subsequent reduction in the cost of developing new drugs.
atugen is a German biotech Company with its headquarters in Berlin, Germany and a subsidiary in Boulder, Colorado, USA. Using its GeneBloc(r) technology, atugen aims to discover and validate pharmaceutical targets faster than other technologies. atugen's mission is to provide its partners with highly effective and specific tools with low toxic effects for reliable in vitro and in vivo validation. This will accelerate the development of novel drugs in its customers' laboratories and in its own independent research focused on finding cancer targets down stream from tumor suppressor genes. atugen provides target discovery and validation services to Arena, Astra Zeneca, Axys Pharmaceuticals, Bayer, Roche BioScience, Boehringer Ingelheim, Millennium, Schering AG and its US affiliate, Berlex Pharmaceutical Corporation, and Serono.
Notes to Editors:
OGS has developed a proprietary technology platform in the emerging field of proteomics, the comprehensive study of proteins, integrating proteomics with genomics to create an innovative drug discovery platform. OGS' proteomics collaborations with major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies include Bayer, Pioneer Hi-Bred/DuPont, Medarex/GenMab, GlaxoSmithKline, NeoGenesis and Pfizer. OGS has technology development collaborations with Applera, Cambridge Antibody Technology, Packard BioScience and the Institute for Systems Biology. OGS has also entered into a joint venture, Confirmant Limited, with Marconi plc.
OGS has drug research discovery programs in central nervous system, cancer, infectious disease and glycosphingolipid (GSL) storage disorders. OGS has had submissions to regulatory authorities accepted for review in both Europe and the US for its development compound, Vevesca (OGT 918), for the treatment of type 1 Gaucher disease.
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