|
| |
X On-The-Beach: GeneWorks forms
Commercial Alliance with Horizon Discovery to Offer World-Leading Translational
Genomics Capabilities to Researchers in Australia and New Zealand
GeneWorks to offer products and
services based upon proprietary GENESISTM gene-engineering platform and X-MANTM
genetically-defined human disease models
Adelaide, Australia, January 8th 2009 – GeneWorks Pty. Ltd. (GeneWorks)
and Horizon Discovery Ltd. (Horizon today announced a corporate-level alliance
that will expand GeneWorks genomics capabilities into the field of translational
medicine.
Targeted or personalized medicines represent the future of treating
genetic-based diseases such as Cancer. However, their discovery is a long and
attritional process that could be significantly aided by predictive laboratory
models that better represent the genetic make-up of the human cancer patient
populations we are trying to treat.
Through this alliance, GeneWorks will now be able to offer researchers access to
world-leading tools and services for creating, studying and deploying
genetically-defined human cancer disease models to aid in the identification of
patient-relevant drug targets and; the discovery of new drugs targeted at the
patient populations most likely to respond based upon genetic make-up.
GENESIS, a proprietary virally-mediated homologous recombination technique, is
used to precisely knock-in disease-causing genetic mutations (single, double,
triple) into the endogenous gene loci of normal cells. The result is model
in-vitro systems for interrogating the selectivity of cancer drugs with respect
to diseased versus normal patient genotypes. The technique enables the routine
creation of patient-relevant models within 3 to 6 months where previously it
would have taken up to 24months using conventional DNA-based homologous
recombination.
GENESIS, which recently won the 2008 Medical Futures Innovation Award for
Cancer, underpins a rapidly-growing portfolio (100+) of X-MAN (Mutant And
Normal) cell-line pairs. The benefit of X-MAN models to researchers is that you
are working with a model system that: (a) accurately represents the mutations
seen in a real patient situation and; (b) provides a built-in reference of
normal vs. diseased patient genotype. By screening potential drug-candidates on
such well defined model systems, clear information on a drug’s mechanism,
therapeutic window and responsiveness can now be obtained prior to entering
expensive clinical trials.
“Peter Guilhaus, CEO of GeneWorks says “cancer drugs are notoriously
un-selective towards cancer cells versus normal cells, and there is a trend to
developing targeted drugs that better target the fundamental genetic causes of
cancer. However, cancer is not a single disease; every person’s cancer is
defined by the presence of several genetic mutations; the spectrum of which will
be highly ‘personalized’. X-MAN cell lines separate the cancer-gene spectrum to
aid the discovery of specifically targeted drugs that can be used singularly or
in combination”
“Nik Psevdos, National Manager for the GENESIS and X-MAN Offering adds “The
X-MAN Discovery 1 panel of cell lines focuses on a single cancer-causing gene
and will provide key information on which cancer patient populations respond
best to a drug. However, it is also becoming critical to check whether other
(secondary) mutations modulate this response or impart resistance. These effects
can be studied in a predictive in-vitro regime for the first time with the
Discovery 2 panel of cell lines; which have combinations of two cancer genes
(double knock-ins).
Psevdos continues this theme “The Researcher lines are primarily targeted to the
multitude of secondary, epigenetically regulated or modifier genes that are
differentially expressed in cancer vs. normal cells (non-mutated) enabling
researchers to understand the broader context of the cancer-causing pathways
they are studying and, in certain cases, if any represent valid targets for
future therapy”
Dr Darrin M Disley, Commercial Director of Horizon says “we are delighted that
GeneWorks is going to be the front-face of our technology in Australia and New
Zealand, a real hot-bed of genomics research. We believe that the combination of
our pioneering translational genomic tools with GeneWorks long-history of
supplying genomic-based research with leading-edge product and service
solutions, will provide Australian and New Zealand researchers with an
opportunity to lead the world in the application of GENESIS and X-MAN
technology.
Dr Disley goes on to say” GeneWorks will be our preferred partner in this
territory, initially offering: custom gene-engineering services and access to
the current panel of 100+ X-MAN lines on evaluation, direct licensing and
technology access terms. The second phase of the relationship, to come on line
later in 2009, will look to introduce a central screening service and/or
technology access consortium targeted at collaborative working with academic,
Biotech and Pharma accounts.
The relationship will begin in January 2009.
About GeneWorks Pty. Limited
GeneWorks Pty Ltd, established in 1996, is a major Australian supplier of
leading-edge molecular biology research products. Centrally headquartered in
Adelaide, South Australia with sales offices in all Australian key cities as
well as Auckland NZ, GeneWorks services and supplies the Australian and New
Zealand markets with a select range of innovative leading edge equipment,
reagents, consumables and associated services. The company’s core service
business comprises the synthesis and supply of custom oligonucleotides and
genome analysis services utilizing next generation systems from Illumina.
Nik Psevdos
National Manager
+61 882342644
www.geneworks.com.auv
About Horizon Discovery
Horizon Discovery is an award-winning translational genomics company founded in
June 2007 and is headquartered at the Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
and with additional research laboratories in Torino, Italy. Horizon’s goal is to
convert new information on the genetic causes of cancer into laboratory models
that will facilitate the discovery of drugs that target these defects. Central
to this aim is Horizon Discovery’s offering of isogenic cell-lines, which
represent accurate models of defined cancer patient populations and their
matched normal genetic backgrounds – a missing link in the rational and
efficient development of novel targeted anti-cancer agents.
www.horizondiscovery.com
Dr Darrin M Disley
Commercial Director
+44 1223 3030349
+44 7786 133893
| |
|
