TORONTO, Jan. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - MDS Proteomics, Inc. (MDSP), a subsidiary of MDS Inc., (NYSE:MDZ - News; TSX:MDS - News) and Eli Lilly Canada Inc. have signed an initial pilot study agreement to explore the use of MDSP's proprietary technology called PhosMap(TM).
The study will focus on Lilly's drug candidates and is designed to assess the capability of the technology to determine the effects of kinase inhibitors on kinase targets that may span several therapeutic areas and lead to future innovations in drug development and technologies.
PhosMap(TM) enables researchers to identify and characterize changes in the chemical modification of proteins that may arise in response to drug treatment. PhosMap(TM) can be used to identify novel targets in disease, to compare the effects of different drug candidates, and to develop assays that can be used throughout pre-clinical and clinical development.
"Eli Lilly Canada's mission is to provide answers that matter through innovative medicines, information and exceptional customer service to enable people to live longer, healthier and more active lives," said Dr. Joerg Rustige, Vice President of Research and Development at Eli Lilly Canada. "We are hopeful that this pilot study will allow us to take better targets into the clinic and will ultimately allow us to introduce new medicines that will help provide answers to unmet medical needs."
"We are excited at this opportunity to demonstrate novel applications of our innovative proteomics technologies in drug discovery with a top tier pharmaceutical company," said Frank Gleeson, President and CEO, MDS Proteomics.
The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
About Eli Lilly Canada Inc.
Lilly, a leading innovation-driven corporation, is developing a growing portfolio of best-in-class pharmaceutical products by applying the latest research from its own worldwide laboratories and from collaborations with eminent scientific organizations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, Lilly provides answers - through medicines and information - for some of the world's most urgent medical needs. Eli Lilly Canada, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, employs more than 700 people across the country. Additional information about Eli Lilly Canada can be found at www.lilly.ca.
About MDS Proteomics
MDS Proteomics is a systems biology company focused on drug discovery and is forming strategic alliances with leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. It is the only company of its kind that offers an integrated platform of superior and ultra-sensitive technologies - protein interaction mapping, differential analysis, phosphoprofiling and chemical proteomics - that can be applied across the entire spectrum of drug discovery and development, from identifying drug targets through product launch. This unified approach can optimize drug discovery and development while significantly reducing time, costs and risks.
MDS Proteomics' dynamic combination of world-class experts and sophisticated technology will ultimately provide the global medical community - and patients throughout the world - with leading-edge solutions for the diagnosis and treatment of disease.
MDS Proteomics employs over 125 people in facilities in Europe and North America. The company focuses on antibody and small molecule therapeutics and presently has a number of candidate targets in pre-clinical discovery.
MDS Proteomics is a private company that is majority-owned by MDS Inc. For more information on MDS Proteomics, visit the company's website at mdsp.com. |
