MLNM Press release:
Whitehead Functional Genomics Consortium Announces
Technology Contribution To SNP Consortium
- Patent Pending Technology Expected to Reduce Cost and Time to Identify SNPs -
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., July 1, 1999 -- The Whitehead Functional Genomics Consortium, comprising
Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: MLNM), Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY),
Affymetrix, Inc. (NASDAQ: AFFX) and the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, today announced
that it has granted a royalty-free license to the SNP Consortium to use a key technology developed to
discover single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The SNP Consortium, a collaboration of ten major
pharmaceutical companies and the Wellcome Trust, is funding the creation of a map of SNPs in the human
genome.
The Whitehead Functional Genomics Consortium's technology is the subject of a pending patent application
entitled "Pre-selection and Isolation of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms" that claims a technology that is
expected to enhance the efficiency of the SNP discovery process employed by the SNP Consortium through
a method called "reduced representation." In the reduced representation process, DNA from multiple
sources is fragmented into subsets on the basis of size, thereby reducing the complexities associated with
screening each set of DNA fragments for the presence of SNPs.
Two years ago Millennium, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Affymetrix created a unique corporate consortium to
fund a five-year research program in functional genomics at the Whitehead Institute Genome Center under
the leadership of Eric S. Lander, Ph.D., director of the center. The goal of the effort is to develop the next
generation of functional genomics technologies. The three companies then will apply these technological
advances in their respective businesses, as well as forming the basis for much basic biomedical research.
"This technology is expected to significantly reduce the time needed and costs associated with creating a
comprehensive SNP map," said Dr. Lander. "Accelerating the development of the SNP map will help lead
to more effective methods for the diagnosis and treatment of genetically-based diseases. We are delighted
that Millennium, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Affymetrix have made this technology available on a royalty-free
basis to the SNP Consortium to generate a SNP map that will be made available to the entire scientific
community."
Not only the creation, but the application of the SNP map will yield important results for pharmaceutical
development and medical practice. "A publicly-available, high-quality SNP map will enhance Millennium's
effort to create diagnostic and pharmaceutical products that address the cause, not merely the symptoms, of
major diseases," said Frank Lee, Ph.D., Millennium's chief technology officer. "Making this technology
available to the SNP Consortium will accelerate the availability of this important resource to the scientific
community."
Commenting on the synergy between the Whitehead Functional Genomics Consortium and the SNP
Consortium, Elliot Sigal, M.D., Ph.D., vice president, Applied Genomics, Bristol-Myers Squibb said, "Our
leadership role in establishing these important consortiums reflects our commitment to the development of a
new generation of medicines based on genomics. These innovative public and private partnerships are
creating important new technologies and resources from which we all will benefit."
"The creation of a public, high-quality SNP map will provide an important set of markers for use throughout
the academic, pharmaceutical and biotechnology communities," said Stephen P.A. Fodor, Ph.D., president
and chief executive officer of Affymetrix. "Affymetrix will use these markers to design genotyping arrays to
facilitate the large-scale association studies that will be necessary to elucidate the role of specific genes in
disease. Affymetrix intends to establish the GeneChip® system as the platform of choice for genotypying
large numbers of SNPs."
The Whitehead Institute is a non-profit, independent basic research and teaching institution recognized
worldwide for outstanding contributions to genomics, cancer and AIDS research, developmental biology,
infectious disease, and basic molecular and cell biology. The Whitehead houses the Whitehead MIT Center
for Genome Research, a pioneer in mapping and sequencing the human genome, automation technologies
for biology, informatics, and functional genomics.
Millennium, a leading drug discovery and development company, employs large-scale genetics, genomics,
high throughput screening and informatics in an integrated science and technology platform. This innovative
drug discovery platform is applied across the entire healthcare sector, from gene identification to patient
management, to accelerate and transform the discovery and development of proprietary therapeutic and
diagnostic products and services. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Millennium and its
affiliates currently employ more than 750 people.
Bristol-Myers Squibb is a diversified worldwide health and personal care company whose principal
businesses are pharmaceuticals, consumer products, nutritionals, and medical devices. It is a leading
maker of innovative therapies for cardiovascular, metabolic and infectious diseases, central nervous system
and dermatological disorders, and cancer. The company is also a leader in consumer medicines,
orthopaedic devices, ostomy care, wound management, nutritional supplements, infant formulas, and hair
and skin care products.
Affymetrix has developed and intends to establish its GeneChip® system as the platform of choice for
acquiring, analyzing and managing complex genetic information in order to improve the diagnosis,
monitoring and treatment of disease. The Company's GeneChip system consists of disposable DNA probe
arrays containing gene sequences on a chip, reagents for use with the probe arrays, a scanner and other
instruments to process the probe arrays and software to analyze and manage genetic information.
Additional information on Affymetrix and GeneChip technology can be found at www.affymetrix.com. |
