Here's a company to look at for potential synergies. There are a number of companies out there where one plus one equals three, and I don't understand why it's taking so long to do something. Is anyone driving?.....
Thursday June 1, 8:14 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
LifeSpan BioSciences Enters Into Agreement With
Novartis Research Foundation for Access To GPCR
Localization Database
G Protein-Coupled Receptor Database To Identify New Drug Discovery Targets For Second
Database Subscriber
SEATTLE--(BW HealthWire)--June 1, 2000-- LifeSpan BioSciences, Inc., a leading biotechnology company specializing in
gene expression profiling and localization in human diseases, today announced that they have entered into an agreement with
Novartis Research Foundation for a subscription to the first database of information on the expression and localization of G
protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). The database will provide Novartis with information that is extremely valuable for the
identification and validation of new target genes for drug discovery efforts. Novartis is the second major pharmaceutical
company to subscribe to LifeSpan's GPCR Database. Pfizer was the initial subscriber to this database.
As the second subscriber to LifeSpan BioSciences GPCR database, Novartis will receive early access to localization data on
GPCR targets, which will be added continuously to the database throughout a two-year period. Novartis will have the
opportunity to prioritize the list of GPCR genes to be included in the database based on their internal interests. Access and
updates to the database will be provided in real-time throughout the development period.
G protein-coupled receptors, which are extremely valuable from a pharmacological perspective, are a large family of
cell-surface molecules that act as cellular receptors for many biologically active compounds and pharmaceuticals, including
major drugs. Access to detailed information included in this database on the expression and localization of these genes in
normal and diseased tissues will provide greater insight into the function of these genes and their potential utility as targets for
new drugs.
``The ongoing human genome project has allowed us to identify hundreds of new GPCRs of unknown function. Our in-house
database now contains DNA and protein sequences from the majority of these genes, and many of these will prove to be
important targets for future drug discovery efforts,'' stated Dr. Joseph P. Brown, President and CEO of LifeSpan BioSciences.
LifeSpan is using specific antibodies together with its extensive bank of normal and pathological tissue specimens to measure
expression of GPCRs in a wide range of normal and diseased tissues. The results are interpreted by LifeSpan's in-house
pathologists and used to construct a relational database, which will contain detailed information on GPCR expression in each
cell type in the tissues and diseases studied, accompanied by high-resolution digital images.
``As a consequence of the genomic revolution, our customers find themselves swimming in a sea of genes. Our molecular
pathology approach provides the next generation of information that allows them to prioritize the best potential drug targets
from among the many candidates that are identified by high-throughput sequencing and gene chips,'' said Dr. Glenna C.
Burmer, LifeSpan's Chief Scientific Officer.
For additional information on LifeSpan BioSciences, please visit LifeSpan's web site at lsbio.com, or contact
Michael Tippie, Vice President of Business Development, via phone at 206/464-1554, or via email at Michael@lsbio.com
About LifeSpan BioSciences, Inc.
LifeSpan BioSciences, headquartered in Seattle, Washington, is a privately held company founded in 1995 that employs
molecular pathology, microarray and bioinformatics technology to identify and validate targets for its pharmaceutical company
customers in Europe, Asia and North America. LifeSpan also builds human expression databases for select pharmaceutical and
biotechnology customers.
About Novartis
Novartis (NYSE:NVS - news), is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in pharmaceuticals, consumer health,
generics, eye-care, and animal health. In 1999, the Group (including Agribusiness) achieved sales of USD 21.7 billion and
invested more than USD 2.8 billion in R&D. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis employs about 82,000 people and
operates in over 140 countries around the world. The Group recently announced plans to spin off its Crop Protection and
Seeds sectors and to merge them with the agrochemicals business of AstraZeneca in the second half of 2000.
Contact:
S&S Public Relations
Jeremy J. Ahto, 800/287-2279, ext. 232
jeremy@sspr.com |
