Texas Institute for Genomic Medicine Will Supply CIC bioGUNE Research Centre in Spain with Knockout Research Mice over Next Three Years.

European research hub to use knockout mice in the search to find the cause and possible cure for liver diseases

HOUSTON -- The Texas Institute for Genomic Medicine (TIGM) has entered into an agreement with the Centro de Investigacion Cooperativa en Biociencias (CIC bioGUNE) in Spain to supply genetically altered mice over the next three years for use in collaborative research focused on understanding liver function and finding a cure for liver diseases.

The CIC bioGUNE is a nonprofit research and biotechnology business development hub created in Spain's Basque Country in 2005 to bring together the resources of state-of-the-art research, private industry and government to accelerate the search to identify, prevent and cure sources of human disease. The research consortium focuses in four primary areas of investigation, including functional genomics, proteomics, stem cells and cellular biology and metabolomics.

Under the terms of the agreement, TIGM will create custom-designed breeding pairs of knockout mice that have specific genes altered especially for the research CIC bioGUNE scientists are conducting in liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma over the next three years.

"As a leading provider of genetically engineered knockout mice, TIGM provides an essential resource to scientists all over the world. Our agreement with the CIC bioGUNE researchers allows them to accelerate breakthroughs in our understanding of the interaction between lifestyle choices and risk for chronic illness, such as non-alcoholic liver disease," said Dr. Richard H. Finnell, TIGM president and executive director.

Prof. Jose M Mato, general director of CIC bioGUNE, noted, "Genetically altered mice are very helpful tools to understand the biology and pathobiology of a gene. Our agreement with TIGM will provide us access to the largest existing knockout mice library."

About the Texas Institute for Genomic Medicine (TIGM)

TIGM is a not-for-profit institution created in 2005 to pioneer the development of life-changing medical breakthroughs, accelerate the pace of medical discoveries and to foster the development of the biotechnology industry in Texas. To that end, TIGM helps researchers gain faster, more cost-effective access to the genetically engineered knockout mice they need to help speed research to find the cure for human diseases and conditions. TIGM owns and maintains the world's largest catalogues of embryonic stem cells for C57BL/6 mice in the world. In addition, TIGM has contracted access to the world's largest catalog of genetically modified 129 mouse cells, with more than 272,000 stem cell clones available. The Institute headquarters and laboratory facilities are based in the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas, with additional facilities currently under construction in College Station, Texas.

About CIC bioGUNE

Created in 2005, the Centro de Investigacion Cooperativa en Biociencias (CIC bioGUNE) in the Basque Country has brought together an outstanding team of international scientists dedicated to accelerating the understanding and cure of chronic human disease. The non-profit consortium fosters cooperation between technological and university centers, hospitals, private industry and government agencies in an effort to share knowledge, achieve important international scientific breakthroughs and bring cures to market at a pace faster than traditional organizations working alone. For more information, log on to www.cicbiogune.es.