Gene Logic, Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals Expand Drug Discovery
Collaboration
GAITHERSBURG, Md., and CINCINNATI, Ohio, Dec. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Gene Logic Inc. (Nasdaq: GLGC - news) and Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals
division of Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE: PG - news) announced today that they have expanded their drug discovery agreement to include additional
therapeutic areas beyond the original focus on heart failure. The expansion will result in an approximate doubling of Gene Logic's annual revenues from the
collaboration.
Under the terms of the expansion, P&G will pay Gene Logic annual fees for access to databases of gene expression information for the purpose of identifying new
drug targets. Gene Logic will also receive milestone payments and royalties associated with development and marketing of any drugs resulting from the use of its
data and technologies.
Initiated in 1997, the collaboration with P&G was Gene Logic's first. Under the original agreement, Gene Logic has been using its READS™ gene expression
technology to build a database of genes differentially expressed between normal heart tissue and heart tissue from people with heart failure. Gene Logic and P&G
are continuing to expand and mine this database to identify new drug targets for the development of novel drugs for the treatment of heart failure.
Under the expansion, Gene Logic will enlarge the P&G database to include new indications, beginning with osteoporosis. P&G has a long-standing interest in this
condition, with one drug for osteoporosis on the market in Europe and others in development.
''P&G's decision is a strong confirmation of the power of the READS technology and Gene Logic's bioinformatics capabilities,'' said Michael J. Brennan, M.D.,
Ph.D., Gene Logic's President and Chief Executive Officer. ''P&G became our first collaborator about one and half years ago, and now they have become the first
to expand their relationship with us.''
Said Gordon Hassing, Ph.D., Vice President, R&D, Rx Healthcare Products, of Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals: ''We decided to expand our collaboration
with Gene Logic because of the excellent progress we have made so far in the heart failure program. Heart failure is a difficult disease to study, and we are very
impressed with Gene Logic's ability to discover potential new drug targets.''
To date, Gene Logic has identified for P&G a number of genes that represent potential new drug targets for heart failure. The two companies are in the process of
selecting and developing assays for these genes so that the genes may enter P&G's new drug screening program.
READS in Drug Discovery
Each cell of the body carries copies of all of the approximately 100,000 human genes. But only about 10% of these genes are turned on, or expressed, in any given
tissue. Differential display technology discloses which genes are turned on and the level at which each of these genes is expressed in various tissue samples.
One important use of READS is the identification of disease-associated genes by comparing gene expression between diseased and normal tissues. The differences
between diseased and normal states reveal the subset of genes -- usually less than 500 -- most likely to play critical roles in a disease process. These genes, and the
proteins they encode, become ''targets'' for drug therapy.
One of Gene Logic's key businesses involves the use of genomic analyses such as READS to provide new drug targets to pharmaceutical companies. These
companies have a growing need for new targets to keep their R&D pipelines full.
Gene Logic combines genomics technologies and bioinformatics expertise to provide pharmaceutical companies with products designed to reduce the time, cost,
and risk associated with drug discovery and development. These products include proprietary databases of gene expression for drug target discovery and
development, a novel screening technology for identifying new drug leads, and a pharmacogenomics technology for stratifying patient populations to enhance drug
effectiveness and minimize adverse effects. The company's Data Logic division, based in Berkeley, Calif., markets bioinformatics software for managing, analyzing,
and integrating genomic data.
In addition to its agreement with P&G, Gene Logic has established alliances with American Home Products' Wyeth-Ayerst Research Division; N.V. Organon, the
pharmaceutical unit of chemical manufacturer Akzo Nobel; Japan Tobacco's Pharmaceuticals Division; Rhone-Poulenc Rorer; Schering-Plough; Merck &
Company; and Hoechst Schering AgrEvo, one of the world's largest agricultural products manufacturers. The Data Logic division has a collaborative agreement with
SmithKline Beecham, under which it is installing its proprietary bioinformatics software to enable that company to build proprietary genomics databases and integrate
them with information from public databases.
This news release contains forward-looking information, including statements about the potential for revenue growth under the expanded agreement with P&G and
about the ability to identify new drug targets. Actual results may differ materially because of a number of risk factors, such as the impact of competition, technological
advances, and decisions made by P&G. These risks factors and others are more fully described in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending
December 31, 1997, the Form S-4 filed in connection with the company's acquisition of Oncormed Inc., the most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, and other
documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE: Gene Logic Inc.
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