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Epigenomics to enter collaboration with AstraZeneca
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| Date: Tuesday, 13.01.2004 |
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| Press release, Berlin |
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Epigenomics announced today the signing of a collaboration with AstraZeneca. In the project, Epigenomics will identify DNA methylation markers from clinical tumor samples embedded in paraffin for use in AstraZeneca’s cancer drug discovery and development program. DNA methylation is a genetic switch for gene activity that occurs in distinct patterns in cells specific for cancer and other diseases. The biomarkers discovered in this process may become part of AstraZeneca’s strategy for targeting drugs such as IRESSA, the selective epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor.
In this project, AstraZeneca will provide clinical tumor samples embedded in paraffin. Epigenomics will use its proprietary DNA methylation microarray technology to identify biomarkers and demonstrate the usefulness of its pharmacodiagnostic marker development on paraffin embedded samples. Financial details of the project were not disclosed.
"We are proud that AstraZeneca sees the value of our unique pharmacodiagnostics approach", states Christian Piepenbrock, CIO of Epigenomics and Head of its Pharma Technology business unit. "Our DNA methylation techniques can measure markers from fixed tissue samples. This allows us to develop biomarkers from many past or future cancer trials and build tests to accompany drugs for patient selection. We are aiming at personalizing medicine with Epigenomics tests that tell patients whether they might benefit from drug treatment or not."
Les Hughes, Global VP, Cancer and Infection Discovery, for AstraZeneca adds: "In the short term, the focus will be on Iressa. However, in the new era of biologically targeted therapies, we anticipate that many more drugs will be accompanied by a predictive test to help identify which patients will benefit most from a specific therapy. As a leader in cancer research, we want to investigate opportunities to develop the tests that will help ensure patients get the medicines which will provide the greatest benefit. Epigenomics provides a technology platform which may help us identify predictive markers that could lead to the development of such a test."
About Epigenomics
Epigenomics is committed to personalizing medicine in cancer and other complex diseases by developing novel diagnostic and pharmacodiagnostic products. By detecting and interpreting digitized DNA methylation patterns, the \"on\" and \"off\" signs for genes, Epigenomics enables an exact diagnosis of disease at very early stages and helps select an appropriate therapy.
Epigenomics collaborates with Roche for the development of several diagnostic and pharmacodiagnostic products in cancer. Epigenomics also spearheads the Human Epigenome Project (www.epigenome.org) in collaboration with the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and the Centre National de Génotypage (CNG).
The company has its headquarters in Berlin, Germany, and a wholly owned subsidiary in Seattle, USA. For more information, please visit our website at www.epigenomics.com.
About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services. It is one of the top five pharmaceutical companies in the world with healthcare sales of over $17.8 billion in 2002 and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, oncology, cardiovascular, neuroscience and respiratory products. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global and European) as well as the FTSE4Good Index. Worldwide, AstraZeneca has six major research and development sites and four discovery sites employing more than 11,000 people in six countries including Canada, France, India, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States.
AstraZeneca continues its tradition of research excellence and innovation in oncology that led to the development of its current anti-cancer therapies including ‘Arimidex’, ‘Casodex’, ‘Faslodex’, ‘Nolvadex’, ‘Zoladex’ and ‘Iressa’. AstraZeneca is also harnessing rational drug design technologies to develop new compounds that offer advantages over current cytotoxic and hormonal treatment options. The company has over 20 different anti-cancer projects in research and development including a range of novel targeted products such as anti-proliferatives, anti-angiogenics, vascular targeting and anti-invasive agents. For more information, please visit www.astrazeneca.com/research
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