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University of
Surrey to use Cambridge Cell Networks' ToxWiz software to assist their research
on Compound Safety Assessment.
Cambridge, UK. –
Sept 21, 2007 - Cambridge Cell Networks Ltd (CCnet), a leading in-silico systems
biology and toxicology company is pleased to announce a collaborative venture
with the University of Surrey, UK. Under the agreement, toxicologists at Surrey
will be using CCnet's unique ToxWiz software to assist their cutting edge
research on drug and chemical safety.
ToxWiz is a software solution for predicting toxic endpoints and for elucidating
mechanisms of toxicity. It contains a network of more than 2,500 annotated
pathways and clusters linking genomics and proteomics data with biochemical
pathways and cellular information. It allows users to understand on- and off-
target mechanisms of action of compounds, thus minimizing the number of animal
testing wherever possible. It uses novel algorithms to predict toxic end-points.
This approach to predictive toxicology offers a new perspective in this field.
This prediction techniques are complementary to well -established QSAR
based-methods already used for decades
Professor Peter Goldfarb, Director of the University's Centre for Toxicology,
commented: "We will be using ToxWiz because of its leading capability to
accurately explore the rapidly expanding knowledge base deriving both from prior
research in toxicology and from the current systems biology revolution. This
will enable us to make earlier predictions about the safety of proposed new
therapeutic agents and industrial chemicals”.
Professor Goldfarb added: “Additionally, ToxWiz is designed to predict the
possible cellular mechanisms of any indicated toxicity and should help us plan
our subsequent experimental work better. This would result in a significant
reduction in the use of test animals (an objective to which Surrey has
contributed for many years) and also make the testing of such chemicals in man
even safer. CCnet are clearly focused on novel solutions to the challenges
facing toxicologists today, not only in terms of developing safe new treatments
for diseases such as diabetes and cancer, but also in responding to the EU
requirement for the retesting of chemicals to which the public are exposed in
their everyday lives. We look forward to a productive collaboration."
Dr Mariana Vaschetto, Commercial Director of Cambridge Cell Networks commented:
"Professor Goldfarb and his colleagues at the University of Surrey are leaders
in the field of molecular toxicology and we are thrilled that they will be using
ToxWiz to aid their cutting edge research. We are sure that their feedback will
be invaluable in helping us design the next generation of our system. With this
contribution from an internationally recognised academic group, we will be able
to target the continuing development of ToxWiz on meeting the increasingly
rigorous needs of modern safety science."
Free trials of ToxWiz can be requested at
info@camcellnet.com.
For more information about ToxWiz please contact
sales@camcellnet.com
or visit
www.camcellnet.com .
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