Users Can Now Integrate and Analyze Gene Expression
Data With Clinical and Pharmacogenomic Data
MORRISVILLE, N.C. and Fremont, Calif., May 11 /PRNewswire/ --
PPGx, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of DNA Sciences, Inc., has expanded
the capabilities of its GeneTrials(TM) bioinformatics software platform to
give pharmaceutical and biotechnology researchers integrated access to gene
expression analysis.
The GeneTrials bioinformatics products are available through PPD, Inc.
(Nasdaq: PPDI) (http://www.ppdi.com), the exclusive marketer of PPGx products and
services.
In cooperation with Silicon Genetics, PPGx integrated GeneSpring(TM),
Silicon Genetics' complete software solution for gene expression data mining,
into its advanced pharmacogenomic data warehouse and mining products,
GeneTrials Warehouse and GeneTrials Explorer. As a result, scientists and
researchers now can use one tool to seamlessly analyze the increasingly large
amounts of expression data along with pharmacogenomic and clinical data.
"The highly customizable and open GeneTrials bioinformatics platform was
developed by and for pharmacogenomic researchers with specific understanding
of the rigorous scientific and informational demands of the drug discovery and
development process," said Himanshu Oberoi, vice president of bioinformatics
with PPGx. "As a result of our work, researchers, for the first time, can
harness the warehousing and mining powers of the robust GeneTrials platform to
access and analyze gene expression data."
GeneTrials Warehouse from PPGx is a highly scalable Oracle-based
repository that employs sophisticated commercial data warehousing technology
to integrate, manage and organize complex pharmacogenomic data. GeneTrials
Explorer provides scientists with an extremely powerful, integrated user
interface for browsing, querying, annotating and analyzing information through
the GeneTrials Warehouse.
"Efforts to link gene expression and pharmacogenomic data have moved to
center stage in genomics-based drug development programs," said John Pietrzyk,
vice president for business development at Silicon Genetics. "We're extremely
pleased to join PPGx in providing gene expression mining tools to help
researchers establish important gene expression-pharmacogenomic correlations
and accelerate development of new diagnostic tools and therapeutics."
GeneSpring is an analytical desktop tool enabling scientists to visualize
and manipulate gene expression data. Experimental data from microarrays,
Affymetrix chips, SAGE or any technique that associates numbers with genes can
easily be imported into GeneSpring for rigorous analysis. In addition,
scientists can upload these analyses as HTML files into GeNet(TM), Silicon
Genetics' new Web-enabled database product, for enterprisewide storage and
distribution.
The combined solution of GeneTrials, GeneSpring and GeNet provides
pharmacogenomic researchers with a complete suite of data management, analysis
and storage tools. This suite enables scientists to more effectively identify
and characterize candidate genes and polymorphisms; correlate polymorphisms
with therapy, clinical outcomes and drug effects; and predict drug response or
selection and dosing of drugs based on genotype or gene expression.
About PPGx, Inc. and DNA Sciences, Inc.
PPGx, Inc., a subsidiary of DNA Sciences, Inc., offers GLP/CLIA
genotyping, bioinformatics solutions and other pharmacogenomic testing and
consulting services to biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to
accelerate drug discovery and development. The company also conducts
pharmacogenomic testing to help health-care professionals optimize drug
therapy for their patients. For more information, visit http://www.pgxsolutions.com.
Founded in 1998, DNA Sciences is an integrated genetics discovery company
focused on identifying the genetic basis of disease susceptibility, disease
progression and response to drug treatment. With more than 150 employees, DNA
Sciences operates a state-of-the-art sequencing and genotyping facility at its
headquarters in Fremont, Calif. The company actively recruits participants
for its genetic studies through the DNA Sciences Gene Trust Project(SM) and
academic and corporate partnerships. For more information, visit http://www.DNA.com.
About Silicon Genetics
Established in 1998, Silicon Genetics is a leader in developing and
commercializing bioinformatics software products for high-growth segments of
the life sciences industry, including gene expression, high throughput
screening and proteomics. Silicon Genetics also offers data analysis services
and partners with leading developers of bioinformatics databases. The
company's products include desktop solutions for scientific researchers,
enterprisewide data repositories for groups of scientists and data mining
solutions for entities with large data repositories. Silicon Genetics
customers include pharmaceutical, biotechnology and agriculture companies, as
well as leading academic and research institutions. To date, over a thousand
scientists at more than 150 organizations are using Silicon Genetics gene
expression products. Additional information about Silicon Genetics and its
GeneSpring, GeNet and MetaMine(TM) products can be found at
http://www.sigenetics.com.
SOURCE PPGx, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.pgxsolutions.com
CONTACT:
Roger Friedensen of Epley Associates,
919-877-0877, or e-mail, friedensen@epley-ral.com, for PPGx,
Inc., or Mike A. Bates, VP Admin & CFO of Silicon Genetics,
650-367-9600, or e-mail, mbates@sigenetics.com
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