Systems Biology Approach May Yield Useful Targets for Development of Novel
Diagnostics and Pharmaceuticals
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Jan. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Integrated
systems biology company Icoria, Inc. (Nasdaq: ICOR), announced today that it
has signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the
U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) to identify and validate
metabolomic biomarkers associated with exposure to low-level chemical warfare
agents. The agreement runs through October 2005.
The goal of the research agreement is to identify novel molecular
mechanisms of action and potential targets for the development of new
prophylactic and therapeutic treatments for low-level chemical warfare agent
exposure and could become the basis for development of rapid, cost-effective
diagnostic field tests to assess exposure in soldiers and civilians.
"This is a logical application of our research work aimed at understanding
the low level effects of nerve agent exposure," said Mr. Joseph (Jim)
Zarzycki, Director of Edgewood Chemical Biological Center. "Identifying the
mechanism of action of nerve agents may provide useful information to help us
in our mission to protect soldiers, civilians and first responders."
Icoria will use gene expression and metabolic profiling through mass
spectrometry with its proprietary data analysis and pathway informatics tools
to study the blood and selected organs of rats exposed to low levels of VX gas
to identify biomarkers. Contingent on future funding, Icoria and ECBC may
conduct additional studies and work to develop a prototype blood-based field
assay.
The company has demonstrated the strength of its metabolomics and systems
biology approach in toxicology studies in work it has conducted on brevetoxin
in conjunction with the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. An
abstract on that research, entitled "Use of Metabolomics to Identify
Biomarkers for Brevetoxin Exposure" by A. Bourdelais et al, will be presented
at the Society of Toxicology's annual meeting in March.
"We are delighted to see continued recognition of the role metabolomics
can play in increasing the power and predictability of toxicology studies,"
said Peter Johnson, M.D., Icoria's Chief Medical Officer and Chief Business
Officer. "Using biomarkers to improve diagnostics and monitoring of exposure
is an important step in realizing the real power of systems biology in drug
development. We believe Icoria's approach to using metabolomics and
biomarkers can help companies develop safer, more effective drugs more quickly
and cost effectively."
Under the agreement, all testing of the chemical warfare agents will be
handled by the ECBC. Icoria will perform only post-exposure analyses of
tissue and serum after these short-lived chemical agents are no longer
present.
About Icoria
Icoria, Inc. is a biotechnology company dedicated to deciphering the
complexity of biological processes through the application of systems biology
to identify biomarkers for drug discovery and development, diagnostics and to
develop novel agrichemicals. Icoria has major contracts with the National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the Monsanto Company and Pioneer
Hi-Bred International, Inc. (a subsidiary of DuPont). Icoria also has a major
grant from the National Institute of Standards & Technology's Advanced
Technology Program. For more information, visit http://www.icoria.com .
This press release contains forward-looking statements including but not
limited to the Company's expectations for its systems biology platform and the
potential outcomes of the cooperative research agreement. Such forward-
looking statements are based on management's current expectations and are
subject to a number of risks, factors and uncertainties that may cause actual
results, events and performance to differ materially from those referred to in
the forward-looking statements. These risks, factors and uncertainties
include, but are not limited to, Icoria's ability to identify molecules that
are significant markers of low-level exposure to chemical warfare agents, the
suitability of these markers for use in developing drugs or diagnostics, the
ability to obtain funding for phase II of the CRADA, Icoria's early stage of
development, history of net losses, technological and product development
uncertainties, reliance on research collaborations, uncertainty of additional
funding and ability to protect its patents and proprietary rights. Certain of
these and other risks are identified in Icoria's annual report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2003 and in its quarterly report on Form 10-Q
for the quarter ended September 30, 2004, each filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. The Company does not intend to update any of the
forward-looking statements after the date of this release to conform these
statements to actual results or to changes in our expectations, except as may
be required by law.
SOURCE Icoria, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.icoria.com
CONTACT:
Media/Public Relations of Icoria, Inc.,
+1-919-425-2999; or Brian Ritchie or Mark Vincent, both of EURO
RSCG Life NRP, +1-212-845-4200
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