Integragen And Aventis In Collaboration Agreement for the Discovery of Genes Associated with Schizophrenia
IntegraGen signs first commercial deal for application of GenomeHIP^®

Paris, 30 January 2004: IntegraGen, the personalized medicines company, announced today that it has signed an agreement with Aventis for the application of its proprietary gene mapping technology, GenomeHIP^® (Genome Hybrid Identity Profiling), to a DNA collection of schizophrenia patients characterised by the Aventis Human Genetics Centre in Evry , France . IntegraGen develops personalized diagnostics and discovers therapeutic targets for complex diseases. It will carry out a genome-wide linkage analysis on the family collection of schizophrenia patients. Schizophrenia is a severe and debilitating neuro-psychiatric disorder that affects nearly 1% of the world population. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

IntegraGen’s GenomeHIP technology platform constitutes a shortcut to the identification of genetic markers and therapeutic targets for human genetic diseases. This gene profiling technology is very powerful and requires only a limited number of samples to perform linkage analysis, when compared to more traditional methods, such as microsatellite analysis. This allows very restrictive entry criteria to be used for disease phenotype selection and the assembly of very high quality family DNA collections. GenomeHIP^® will be applied to compare the whole genomes of a collection of family pairs suffering from Schizophrenia to locate genomic regions associated with the disease quickly and precisely, at 1 megabase resolution.

Dr Jan Mous, IntegraGen Chairman and Chief Executive Officer commented:

“We are very pleased to work with Aventis on a disease with such high a medical need as schizophrenia. We will apply our validated GenomeHIP technology to quickly find disease-associated genetic loci of significant statistical relevance in this multi-factorial disease. This collaboration with Aventis represents an important alliance for IntegraGen as it illustrates our leadership position in the genetic analysis of complex diseases using common populations."

“Aventis looks forward to working with IntegraGen,” said Jean-Francois Deleuze, Director of the Aventis Worldwide Human Genetics Centre, Evry , France .  “If the synergies of technology and innovation we anticipate are realized, Aventis’ genetic schizophrenia program will be significantly enhanced.”  

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Notes to Editors

About Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe and debilitating neuropsychiatric disorder, which affects around 0.8 % percent of the world population. In the United States , it is estimated that approximately 2 million people suffer from the disease in a given year. Schizophrenia is characterized by positive and negative symptoms. Positive symptoms include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking and behaviour. Negative symptoms include reduced emotional expression, social withdrawal, and difficulty in concentrating and/or thinking. Existing treatments can reduce symptoms and prevent psychotic relapses, but most people with schizophrenia continue to suffer some symptoms throughout their lives and it has been estimated that no more than one in five individuals recovers completely. This highlights the need for novel therapeutic approaches aimed directly at the causes of the disease.

Schizophrenia is a complex multi-factorial disease, implicating both environmental and genetic factors, most of them unknown. The disease tends to run in families, and the risk factor for the homozygous twin of a schizophrenia sufferer is 40-50%, showing evidence for some strong genetic components. In 1996, it was estimated that in the US the yearly cost linked to schizophrenia, including direct treatment, societal and family costs amounted to about $65 billion, 30% of which are consumed by direct treatment.

About IntegraGen   www.integragen.com

IntegraGen delivers validated disease markers and therapeutic targets for a better diagnosis and a causal treatment of complex diseases, based on its unique genomic analysis expertise. The company applies its truly innovative gene mapping technology, GenomeHIP^© (Genome Hybrid Identity Profiling), which is a major advance overcoming the limitations of existing SNP and current familial genetic studies, to discover very quickly novel genes associated with complex, multi-factorial diseases.

IntegraGen’s in-house programmes are focused on target identification and diagnostic development for metabolic diseases, including obesity and type 2 diabetes, along with specific neurological disorders, such as autism and bipolar disorder. The unique expertise of the company in molecular genetic and medical biology has enabled the quick identification of a therapeutic target in obesity as well as the location of three genes associated with the disease.

The company’s strategy is to capitalise on the obesity findings through a strategic partnership and progress further its other internal R&D programmes in diabetes and specific neurological disorders. In parallel, IntegraGen is looking to access DNA collections and to build gene discovery collaborations in other therapeutic areas. Founded in July 2000, IntegraGen has 25 employees and is based in the Genopole of Evry, in suburban Paris , France .

Media enquiries

Northbank Communications

Rebecca Todd, Account Manager, Tel: +44 (0)20 7886 8157, Mobile: +44 (0)7801 573073

E-mail: r.todd@northbankcommunications.com

Sue Charles, CEO, Tel: +44 (0)20 7886 8152, Mobile: +44 (0)7968 726585

E-mail: s.charles@northbankcommunications.com

At IntegraGen

Dr Jan Mous, CEO, Tel: +33 (0)1 60 91 09 00

Email: jan.mous@integragen.com