EasyAccess agreement with Genetics Institute
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Genetics Institute, Inc. (GI)
and Affymetrix (NASDAQ:AFFX) today announced the launch of a new, expanded
chip supply and database agreement that further leverages GI's strengths in
gene discovery with Affymetrix' expression analysis tools. The companies
concurrently announced the successful completion of their three-year
collaboration demonstrating innovative use of DNA chips for high-throughput
gene expression monitoring. The new agreement provides for participants in
GI's DiscoverEase(R) program to potentially access Affymetrix' GeneChip(R)
technology for expression analysis related to the DiscoverEase library of
novel secreted proteins and genes. The agreement will also allow GI to build
and sell access to a database of gene expression patterns to GI's DiscoverEase
program participants. Separately, Scios Inc. (NASDAQ:SCIO) (Scios) and GI
announced that Scios has become the newest participant in GI's DiscoverEase
program for the identification and development of novel human therapeutics.
"We entered our collaboration with Affymetrix in 1994 with the ambitious
goal of making high-throughput, sensitive gene expression analysis a part of
our core discovery technology platform," said Steven C. Clark, Ph.D., Senior
Vice President of Research at Genetics Institute. "During the past three
years, we've achieved many of the technical goals we had set and have
developed significant expertise in this field. This new agreement allows GI
to continue to apply advanced expression monitoring tools. At the same time,
the agreement enhances the value of GI's DiscoverEase program for participants
by providing for access to Affymetrix' gene expression monitoring technology
for analysis related to evaluation of the DiscoverEase library."
"Scios has clearly demonstrated its commitment to protein therapeutics,"
said Tuan Ha-Ngoc, Executive Vice President of Genetics Institute. "Scios'
focus on secreted proteins makes the company a valuable addition to the
DiscoverEase program. This agreement gives researchers at Scios access to
GI's library of expressed, novel, human, secreted proteins and corresponding
database of information for the identification and development of therapeutic
candidates. Having samples of proteins affords Scios researchers the
opportunity to more quickly and efficiently evaluate biological function by
directly screening the DiscoverEase product in their bioassays."
Under the terms of the three-year Affymetrix agreement, GI will pay
Affymetrix more than $4 million annually in technology access fees along with
payments for custom chip designs and chips. Affymetrix may also receive
payments based on use of GeneChip technology and access to related database
information by DiscoverEase program participants. No further terms of the
agreement were disclosed.
"Genetics Institute's decision to subscribe to our EasyAccess program and
acquire the right to develop the DiscoverEase gene expression database are
seminal events for Affymetrix on two fronts," stated Stephen P.A. Fodor,
Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Affymetrix. "First, Genetics
Institute was our collaborator in developing the GeneChip expression
technology and has one of the most advanced genomics and molecular biology
initiatives underway in the biopharmaceutical industry. As a result, we view
them as one of the most sophisticated users of gene expression technology
making their decision to become an EasyAccess subscriber an even greater
validation of our platform," added Fodor. "Second, this agreement marks a
major effort by Affymetrix to allow its customers to sell access to a database
generated with GeneChip arrays and will hopefully become a model for the
development of additional targeted GeneChip expression databases. Given the
magnitude and quality of the DiscoverEase initiative underway at Genetics
Institute and at its DiscoverEase partners, Genetics Institute is uniquely
capable of creating a gene expression database for one of the largest and most
important classes of human genes."
"After an extensive technology review of many genomics initiatives, we
determined that the DiscoverEase program represents an ideal fit with our
discovery research programs," said John A. Lewicki, Ph.D., Vice President of
Research at Scios Inc. "The DiscoverEase product is designed to be easily
incorporated into existing research efforts and is aimed at identifying the
biological function of secreted proteins, a major source of therapeutic
candidates for Scios. We are also impressed by GI's commitment to continually
add value to the DiscoverEase program to further facilitate the functional
analysis of library proteins."
The DiscoverEase protein development platform represents GI's functional
genomics initiative to isolate and express a comprehensive library of novel
human secreted proteins. The program was launched in September 1996 and has
seven participants in addition to GI's own research organization: Chiron
Corporation; Genentech, Inc.; Kirin Brewery Co., Ltd.; Ontogeny, Inc.; Bayer
Corporation; Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; and Scios Inc. The program
provides access to the library and corresponding relational database
containing information about each protein. The secreted protein library and
database are being made available to commercial and academic researchers for
biological evaluation and to commercial researchers for the selection of
therapeutics candidates for development and commercialization. In addition,
GI is now making the library available for the identification of novel small
molecule drug targets.
Genetics Institute, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of American Home
Products Corporation (NYSE:AHP), is a leading biopharmaceutical firm engaged
in the discovery, development, and commercialization of human pharmaceuticals
through recombinant DNA and other technologies. American Home Products is one
of the world's largest research-based pharmaceutical and health care products
companies. It is leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing, and
marketing of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications. It is also
a global leader in vaccines, biotechnology, agricultural products, and animal
health care.
The statements in this press release that are not historical facts are
forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties including,
without limitation, risks associated with the inherent uncertainty of
pharmaceutical research, product development and commercialization, the impact
of competitive products, patent, product liability and third party
reimbursement risks associated with the pharmaceutical industry, and the other
risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in AHP's periodic reports,
including quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and the annual report on Form 10-K,
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ
from the forward-looking statements.
SOURCE Genetics Institute, Inc.; Affymetrix
-0- 01/13/98
/NOTE TO EDITORS: This release is also available on the Internet at
noonanrusso.com
/CONTACT: Adelene Perkins of Genetics Institute, 617-876-1170; or Kathryn
Metcalfe of Noonan/Russo Communications, 212-696-4455/
/Web site: noonanrusso.com; or discoverease.com |
