Silico Insights Expands Informatics Platform; Leveraging Wealth of Genomic and Proteomic Research for Effective Drug Development.Business Editors and Health/Medical Writers WOBURN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 16, 2001 Identification of quantitative inflammatory pathways enables efficient prioritization of drug targets; Company names Chairman/CEO and VP of Research to head initiatives Silico Insights, Inc., a provider of innovative bioinformatics Using computers in biological research to analyze or predict the composition of molecules (nucleic acids, proteins, etc.) and model biologic systems. Bioinformatics is most prominent in the Human Genome Project, which has recorded the three billion chemical base pairs that make up the solutions announced that it will extend its informatics Same as information technology and information systems. The term is more widely used in Europe. platform, i-Sight Enterprise(TM) to identify quantitative biological pathways that connect genes to proteins and their interactions in order to describe specific inflammation-based responses. These pathways will be used for the efficient screening of drug compounds and for development of diagnostic tests in diseases that are based on inflammation. Silico Insights' bioinformatics platform has successfully been applied by leading pharmaceutical companies to drug development and clinical data. As post-genomics research focuses on studies of gene function and regulation, proteomics technologies promise the elucidation e·lu·ci·date v. e·lu·ci·dat·ed, e·lu·ci·dat·ing, e·lu·ci·dates v.tr. To make clear or plain, especially by explanation; clarify. v.intr. To give an explanation that serves to clarify. of protein-protein interactions Protein-protein interactions refer to the association of protein molecules and the study of these associations from the perspective of biochemistry, signal transduction and networks. The interactions between proteins are important for many biological functions. and regulatory pathways that can help select drug targets and optimize drug development. "Our research combines gene expression patterns with protein post-translational signals and interactions, linking data from both ends of the genomic genomic pertaining to a genome. genomic clone see clone. genomic DNA the DNA sequences making up the genome of an individual. genomic library see gene bank. and proteomic research spectrum," explained Dr. Nandan Padukone, President of Silico Insights. "There is great discussion about how best to build drugs from the wealth of genomic information being generated. Unless we are able to connect genes to validated function and then to a specific pathway of protein signals, the higher predictability of drug development promised by genomics will not be realized," he further added. The platform is the result of a yearlong year·long adj. Lasting one year. Adj. 1. yearlong - lasting through a year; "attending yearlong courses" long - primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or collaboration between Silico Insights and Ashni Naturaceuticals, a Salt Lake City-based developer of proprietary anti-inflammatory compounds from genomic and proteomic data. The partnership between the companies has generated several patents in the fields of pathway elucidation, informatics methodology and gene function leading to estrogen-induced inflammation. "This collaboration has been very fruitful fruit·ful adj. 1. a. Producing fruit. b. Conducive to productivity; causing to bear in abundance: fruitful soil. 2. in combining research expertise with the mathematics of biology," offered Dr. Dinesh Patel, Chairman, 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 Ashni Naturaceuticals,Inc. "This patented technology will help biotech bi·o·tech n. Informal Biotechnology. biotech Noun short for biotechnology Noun 1. / pharmaceutical companies in their goal to accelerate drug discovery, diagnostic and therapeutic product development," he added. Co-founder and board member, Dr. Patel will also serve as Chairman & CEO of Silico Insights. Scientists involved in studies of drug targets face the arduous ar·du·ous adj. 1. Demanding great effort or labor; difficult: "the arduous work of preparing a Dictionary of the English Language" Thomas Macaulay. 2. task today of characterizing gene function followed by detailed examination of proteins, and their modifications and interactions associated with the gene function. Despite such time-intensive investments, resulting pathways are typically too qualitative to help the scientist select specific pathway targets for drug development. Using proprietary information on post-translational modifications of proteins as key signals, Silico Insights' platform performs combined analyses of gene expression, protein modification and interaction data to deliver quantitative associations from gene to disease response. "In addition to unique insights into disease mechanisms, our pathways enable proteins to "pop out" as prioritized targets while a scientist reads them to save enormous amounts of time and money in drug programs," emphasized Dr. Padukone. "The identification of genetic pathways A Genetic pathway is the set of interactions occurring between a group of genes who depend on each other's individual functions in order to make the aggregate function of the network available to the cell. and the "switches" that modify proteins are the keys in disease characterization today," explained Dr. John Babish, Vice President of Research at Silico Insights. Dr. Babish who has spent more than 20 years in the field of signal transduction Signal transduction The transmission of molecular signals from a cell's exterior to its interior. Molecular signals are transmitted between cells by the secretion of hormones and other chemical factors, which are then picked up by different cells. and has authored more than 150 publications leads the scientific direction of the Company. "There is a huge amount of data in the public domain that we are still struggling to understand. By integrating our proprietary data on post-translational modifications with annotated genomic and proteomic data, we have built a very strong foundation using informatics for rational target development," Dr. Babish elaborated. The Company will license the pathways to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies Top 100 Biotechnology Companies The following is a list of the top 100 biotechnology companies ranked by revenue. The first nine companies qualify for the list of the top 50 pharmaceutical companies. for development of highly targeted drug compounds. About Silico Insights Silico Insights, Inc. based in Woburn, MA, is a provider of innovative web-enabled informatics solutions that enable drug companies to extract comprehensive knowledge from complex drug data. This proprietary informatics platform has been applied successfully to both drug discovery and clinical data. The company's bioinformatics platform integrates analysis of Genomic, Proteomic and clinical information across the drug development pipeline. The platform characterizes gene function, protein interactions and drug targets in inflammatory responses facilitating delivery on the promise of genomics, and consists of powerful algorithms for integration of disparate data and analysis and visualization Using the computer to convert data into picture form. The most basic visualization is that of turning transaction data and summary information into charts and graphs. Visualization is used in computer-aided design (CAD) to render screen images into 3D models that can be viewed from all of complex correlations in scientific data. Silico Insights has developed a steady clientele within pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to analyze drug safety patterns from clinical and post-approval data to build information efficiencies leading to accelerated drug development and market approval. For more information visit the web site at www.silicoinsights.com or send an e-mail to info@silicoinsights.com. |
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