Applied Genomics Paves the Way for Improved Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Disease.Amphion Innovations plc Symposium Highlights "Building Market Value From The World Of Genetics" NEW YORK New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of -- Leading authorities from the world of genetics highlighted important new research, products and trends at Amphion Innovations plc "Building Market Value From The World Of Genetics" symposium in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. on May 15th. Amphion Innovations plc (LSE LSE - Language Sensitive Editor : AMP), a builder of companies in life sciences and technology, brought together world-class expertise from its Partner Companies to shed light on new developments that will help cure disease while building value for shareholders. The event, first in an annual series of Amphion symposiums, drew more than 100 scientists, business leaders and investors interested in learning how applied genomics applied genomics Molecular genetics Molecular medicine The use of genetic information to diagnose, prognosticate and manage disease, based on the techniques of PCR, real time-PCR, DNA sequencing, and gene rearrangement studies for leukemia and lymphoma. are paving the way for discoveries, in clinical medicine, pharmaceuticals and nutrition, which were not possible a decade ago. "We live during a breakthrough period in the understanding of genetics," said Richard C.E. Morgan, Amphion's chief executive officer. "The marketplace is eager to see exciting new discoveries translated into commercial diagnostics, treatments, and products that help people to live longer, more productive lives. Amphion's Partner Companies, supported by our company building expertise, are able to leverage these discoveries to improve the prevention, detection, and treatment of diseases ranging from diabetes and obesity to chronic inflammation chronic inflammation n. Inflammation that may have a rapid or slow onset but is characterized primarily by its persistence and lack of clear resolution; it occurs when the tissues are unable to overcome the effects of the injuring agent. and deadly infections." Morgan introduced a panel of Amphion Partner Company speakers who demonstrated how their companies have applied genomics to improve and save lives while creating value for shareholders: * Dr. David Denning, CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. , Myconostica, Ltd. Dr. Denning is one of the world's leading experts on fungal infections Fungal infections Several thousand species of fungi have been described, but fewer than 100 are routinely associated with invasive diseases of humans. . He currently leads an international consortium sequencing the aspergillus fumigatus Aspergillus fumigatus Microbiology The fungal species that is the most common cause of human aspergillosis, which may infect the lungs, invade blood vessels, or disseminate to various organs. See Aspergillosis. genome and is also a clinician at Wytheshawe Hospital in Manchester, UK. * Mr. Zaki Hosny, CEO, Motif BioSciences, Inc. Mr. Hosny has more than 35 years in the global pharmaceutical industry working for Merck & Co. He has held senior management positions in the United States and several European countries in general management, marketing and government relations. * Dr. Kathleen Mullinix, CEO WellGen, Inc. Dr. Mullinix has served as the Vice Provost of Columbia University and has held two leadership positions at the National Institute of Health. Prior to joining WellGen, she founded Synaptic synaptic /syn·ap·tic/ (si-nap´tik) 1. pertaining to or affecting a synapse. 2. pertaining to synapsis. syn·ap·tic adj. Of or relating to synapsis or a synapse. Pharmaceutical Corp. Dr. Denning made the following points: * Sequencing fungi provides insight into the basic biology of organisms as well as wider aspects of biology, and it has commercial value by enabling production of useful compounds, such as citric acid citric acid or 2-hydroxy-1,2,3-propanetricarboxylic acid, HO2CCH2C(OH)(CO2H)CH2CO2 . Further, it helps to identify new genes for drug targets as well as enabling rapid disease detection. * Rapid detection of infectious diseases is often the difference between life and death. With the rapid detection of infections provided by Myconostica's products, mortality rates can be reduced by as much as 25%. * By extracting DNA DNA: see nucleic acid. DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid One of two types of nucleic acid (the other is RNA); a complex organic compound found in all living cells and many viruses. It is the chemical substance of genes. and putting it into contact with a proprietary molecular probe, Myconostica's test will be able to detect deadly infections in fewer than four hours. The total market for the company's tests for lethal respiratory infections and candida could exceed $2 billion per year. Mr. Hosny made the following points: * Pharmaceutical companies are facing a huge challenge as more than half of the top 100 selling drugs will soon come off patent. * Population genetics Population genetics The study of both experimental and theoretical consequences of mendelian heredity on the population level, in contradistinction to classical genetics which deals with the offspring of specified parents on the familial level. is being used to effectively isolate certain mutations that put people at risk for heart disease, type-2 diabetes and autism autism (ô`tĭzəm), developmental disability resulting from a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain. It is characterized by the abnormal development of communication skills, social skills, and reasoning. . The stakes for genetically validated drug targeting are extremely high as it costs more than $1 billion to bring a new drug to market. * By collecting and analyzing data from the homogenous homogenous - homogeneous populations of the Arabian Gulf region, Motif BioSciences is able to quickly identify patterns in mutation that, barring an impossibly high sample size, would not be visible by studying more diverse populations. Dr. Mullinix made the following points: * There is astronomical growth in the functional foods market. It is an $80 billion industry and growing as brands like Hershey, Nestle and Minute Made are all marketing hugely successful functional food products that promote health and wellness. * Nutrigenomics, a science examining how certain food compounds affect gene expression, is the next frontier in functional foods because it can help answer the food industry's calls for increased innovation. * With proprietary food ingredients and a platform for screening natural food byproducts for their effect on gene expression, WellGen is unique in its ability to help companies bring innovative products to market faster. For more information on the subject matter that was discussed at the symposium, or if you would like more information on Amphion Innovations and its Partner Companies, please contact Josh Berkman or Nicole Allen at 646-747-7158 or 646-747-7161, respectively. Email: jberkman@kwitco.com/nallen@kwitco.com. About Amphion Innovations plc Amphion Innovations plc is listed on the AIM Exchange in London under the symbol AMP. Amphion's business is the formation, financing, management and development of life sciences and technology companies, primarily in the US and UK, working in partnership with corporations, governments, universities and entrepreneurs seeking to commercialize their intellectual property. Amphion's management team has built more than 30 companies in 20 years, all of which have achieved value in excess of $120 million. On the web: www.amphionplc.com |
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