DEVELOPER TOOLS

DAVIS, Calif. and SINGAPORE -- Sagres Discovery Inc. and the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) have signed a research collaboration to determine the global effects of gene mutation in certain cancers and to discover networks of gene expression patterns in such cancers. During the research collaboration, the GIS will apply its state of the art expression profiling technologies and bioinformatics tools to characterize a collection of Sagres' proprietary provirus-tagged mouse tumors. Together, the GIS and Sagres will determine cancer-causing genes and pathways by analyzing the gene expression profile data. Human correlates will be investigated by comparison with GIS' and Sagres' growing databases of expression profiles of human cancers, an important step toward the aim of mapping the genetic interaction pathways of the entire Oncogenome(TM). Under the terms of the agreement, Sagres Discovery will have the option to obtain from the GIS exclusive rights to the novel genes and pathways identified during the collaboration, with commercial terms to be agreed separately. The GIS will retain the right to use the results for its non-commercial research and development. "We are very excited about entering this collaboration," said Prof. Edison Liu, Executive Director of the Genome Institute of Singapore. "We see a very strong synergy between our molecular profiling platform and expertise, and Sagres' smart functional genetics approach to cancer genes discovery. The Genome Institute of Singapore and Sagres Discovery have a common goal in comprehensively defining the genetic elements capable of inducing cancer. We believe the combination of GIS' and Sagres' capabilities has tremendous potential to provide unique knowledge for the characterization of cancer pathways and mechanisms, and to open the way for the development of novel and better diagnostics and therapeutics." "This project with the GIS represents an important next step in the analysis of the Oncogenome(TM)," noted Marc Malandro, Ph.D., Sagres Vice President of Technology and Strategic Alliances. "We firmly believe that by expanding the understanding of the molecular basis of cancer, we can further our development of novel therapeutics that have increased efficacy and decreased side effects. The unique talent and expertise at the GIS, particularly in the microarray and expression genomics platform, allows Sagres to continue its focus on therapeutic development while increasing the understanding of the complex nature of gene expression networks in cancer."