RESEARCH PROJECTS UTILIZE COMPUGEN'S GENCARTA DATABASE.Compugen Ltd. (Nasdaq: CGEN CGEN Convective Sigmet Generation ), Princeton, N.J., and Avalon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Gaithersburgh, Md., have signed a collaborative agreement to identify and develop drug targets and diagnostic markers from genomic and expressed data. The collaboration includes the license by Avalon of Compugen's Gencarta annotated genome, transcriptome The transcriptome is the set of all messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules, or "transcripts", produced in one or a population of cells. The term can be applied to the total set of transcripts in a given organism, or to the specific subset of transcripts present in a particular cell type. and proteome pro·te·ome n. The complete set of proteins that are produced by the genes of an organism. proteome the entire complement of proteins produced by a cell. database and query tools, as well as collaboration by the companies in specific Avalon research projects. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, Compugen will receive undisclosed cash payments and equity participation in Avalon. Results of the collaboration will be owned by Avalon and used to develop therapeutic and diagnostic products. "Our agreement with Compugen is an important milestone because we will have access to Compugen's proprietary and comprehensive gene and protein database and to its advanced data mining tools that can provide significant insight to genomic targets at a very early stage of screening. We have been very impressed with the capacity of the Gencarta database," said Ken Carter Kenny Ray Carter is an American business owner, education activist and former high school basketball coach. Carter attended college at San Francisco State, then Contra Costa College, and finally George Fox University, where he played basketball. , Ph.D., president and 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. of Avalon Pharmaceuticals. "In addition, we look forward to working with Compugen on a variety of projects that can benefit from synergy between the two companies' complimentary areas of expertise." The Gencarta database was commercially introduced last month by Compugen. This comprehensive database is designed to assist in rapid target discovery processes and to increase the success of experimental design and implementation. Based on Compugen's LEADS algorithm-driven platform, the system provides a comprehensive view of the transcriptome, the biological bridge between genes and their coded proteins. The creation of this view requires the correct modeling of underlying biological processes, in particular alternative splicing Alternative splicing is the RNA splicing variation mechanism in which the exons of the primary gene transcript, the pre-mRNA, are separated and reconnected so as to produce alternative ribonucleotide arrangements. , which have been an integral part of the LEADS platform since its inception. "We are looking forward to working with Avalon and to having an opportunity to share in its future success. We are very pleased that a company such as Avalon, with its innovative approach to drug discovery, has chosen to collaborate with Compugen to form an integral part of its drug discovery platform," said Dr. Mor Amitai, president and CEO, Compugen Ltd. About Avalon Avalon Pharmaceuticals is a genomics-based company utilizing unique and proprietary methods to accelerate the drug discovery process. Through its comprehensive genomics approach, Avalon is able to pinpoint new drug targets and screen them in complex biological systems, facilitating the identification of lead compounds. Currently, Avalon is focusing its efforts on isolating new potential drug targets that play key roles in the malignant transformation malignant transformation Oncology The constellation of changes in the growth properties of cells in culture evoked by various agents–eg, radiation, toxins, and viruses that result in development of tumors of cancer cells cells once believed to be peculiar to cancers, but now know to be epithelial cells differing in no respect from those found elsewhere in the body, and distinguished only by peculiarity of location and grouping. See also: Cancer , and coupling these targets with approaches for rapid identification of novel therapeutic compounds. Additional information on Avalon may be found on the company's Web Site at http://www.avalonrx.com. About Compugen Compugen (Nasdaq: CGEN) develops and markets platforms, tools and products that accelerate post-genomic research, the advanced study of proteins and protein pathways and drug target discovery. These products and services include: LEADS, Gencarta, DNA Chip DNA chip See DNA microarray. Noun 1. DNA chip - a microchip that holds DNA probes that form half of the DNA double helix and can recognize DNA from samples being tested gene chip design, Z3, LabOnWeb.com and Bioccelerators. Compugen's in-house molecular biology molecular biology, scientific study of the molecular basis of life processes, including cellular respiration, excretion, and reproduction. The term molecular biology was coined in 1938 by Warren Weaver, then director of the natural sciences program at the Rockefeller laboratories provide validation of its methodologies and also conduct original genomic and proteomic research. For additional information, visit Compugen's Corporate Web Site at http://www.cgen.com and the company's Internet research engine for molecular biologists, http://www.LabOnWeb.com. For more information, call (301)556-1040. |
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