Variagenics Unveils 3-D Display and Analysis System for Genetic Variation Data
Data to be used in creating molecular diagnostics for predicting efficacy/toxicity of cancer drugs
BOSTON, Aug. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Variagenics, Inc. (Nasdaq: VGNX - news), a leader in pharmacogenomics, unveiled a new interactive three-dimensional visualization system for individual genetic variations, at the 2001 Drug Discovery Technology Conference.
The system relates functional information about genes involved in biological pathways targeted by common drugs -- in this case antimetabolite drugs such as 5-fluorouracil, used in cancer therapy -- with information about gene structure and genetic variation in different population groups. Conference delegates were able to navigate from a graphical interface representing the biological pathways targeted by drugs and developmental drug candidates and embark on a tour of the human genome, ultimately arriving at the chromosomal locus for each selected gene. Once there, delegates were able to view the gene sequence in the context of neighboring genes on the chromosome, the relationship between gene structure and mRNA, sequence variation in individual DNA samples from different populations, and the functional consequences of sequence variants. The system includes clinical information, where available, and also incorporates data generated using Variagenics' recently published functional analysis program, which predicts the likely consequences of SNPs and haplotypes causing amino acid substitutions in modeled proteins.
The technology, developed by Variagenics in collaboration with Small Design Firm, Inc. of Cambridge, MA, is one of the first applications of this type of interactive graphics to be made available for the biopharmaceutical industry.
``We believe that we have the most extensive database of SNPs and haplotypes in genes reported to affect response to antimetabolite drugs such as 5-fluorouracil and methotrexate, as well as recently launched drugs such as Xeloda® and Gemzar®,'' said Dr. Colin Dykes, Vice President, Research. ``We are also expanding our studies on other predictors of drug response such as gene expression profiles and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in micro-dissected tumor samples. The new system provides a facile and revealing interface for the user to access and display these very different types of data and use them to help predict how different people may respond to antimetabolite therapy.''
``Our antimetabolite pathway analysis puts Variagenics in a unique position to develop markers for cancer and other diseases,'' said Taylor J. Crouch, Variagenics' President & CEO. ``5-Fluorouracil is an established treatment for a broad range of cancers and remains part of first-line treatment for colorectal cancer, even though its response rate as a single agent is between 20 and 40 percent. This analysis serves as the cornerstone to our approach for aiding pharmaceutical companies in the development of more precise cancer therapies. The analysis also is at the heart of our program to build a family of molecular diagnostics for diagnosing, prescribing, and monitoring the success of cancer treatments.''
Variagenics' ultimate goal for its cancer research program is to develop molecular diagnostic tests that can be used to identify patients who will respond well to a specific treatment and those who are at risk of drug-induced toxicity.
Variagenics, Inc. applies its pharmacogenomic technologies to the discovery, development and commercialization of personalized drugs and companion molecular diagnostic products. Using a drug pathway approach, the Company identifies therapeutically important genetic markers, including SNPs, haplotypes and LOH indicators. This information is then applied to clinical programs to enhance drugs in development, and ultimately to the creation of diagnostics for predicting patient response to drugs.
For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.variagenics.com |
