RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., June 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Paradigm
Genetics, Inc. (Nasdaq: PDGM), a biotechnology company, and Experimental
Pathology Laboratories Inc. (EPL), announced today they have entered into a
collaboration to further the development of Paradigm Genetics' automated
pathology software.
As one of its key business offerings, Paradigm Genetics specializes in the
development and application of automated pathology software for the objective
mathematical quantification of tissue changes in disease and toxicology and
the automated screening of tissue slide normality. Paradigm Genetics uses its
automated pathology software as a core component in its systems biology
approach to discover and validate novel biomarkers and drug targets.
EPL is one of the industry's leading providers of veterinary pathology
expertise. As the largest subcontractor of veterinary pathology services to
the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the
Environment Protection Agency (EPA), EPL processes over 350,000 tissue slides
each year. EPL is an extensive participant in the National Toxicology
Program's (NTP) Pathology Peer Review process and manages the nation's NTP
Tissue Archives.
"We are very pleased to collaborate with Paradigm Genetics on the
continued development of its automated pathology software which we believe is
the very best technology in the industry," said Jerry Hardisty, DVM, President
and CEO of EPL and past president of the Society of Toxicologic Pathologists.
"Results from two recent retrospective evaluations of NTP subchronic bioassays
of rat livers performed by the NIEHS, EPL and Paradigm Genetics demonstrated
that Paradigm Genetics' automated pathology software could provide valuable
and objective quantitative data that could enhance detection of changes
between normal and diseased tissue and differentiate among treatment groups."
As part of this collaboration, EPL will provide Paradigm Genetics with
daily veterinary pathology expertise and guidance into the continued design,
development and implementation of Paradigm Genetics' automated pathology
software for the pharmaceutical industry. EPL will also serve as the major
point of contact for Paradigm Genetics clients on all veterinary pathology
related topics. As part of this agreement, Paradigm Genetics' automated
pathology software will be installed at EPL, and EPL will serve as Paradigm
Genetics' primary reference site for ongoing software evaluation, development
and testing. A broader collaboration related to automated pathology software
validation is currently under discussion between the companies.
"We sincerely welcome this opportunity to be a collaborative partner with
EPL, Jerry Hardisty and his entire team of toxicologic pathologists. This
collaboration combines the pioneers of automated pathology software with some
of the most experienced and respected toxicologic pathologists in the
industry. It also provides important momentum for the continued development
and sale of our automated pathology software," said Tom Colatsky, Ph.D., Vice
President, Healthcare Research, Paradigm Genetics.
Typical safety trials in drug discovery and development involve the
microscopic subjective review by a pathologist of thousands of tissue slides.
Paradigm Genetics' automated pathology software enables automated screening of
tissue slides into groups of normal and non-normal thereby enabling objective
high throughput analysis. In addition, this novel tissue data represents the
phenotypic expression of tissue in response to disease, toxicity or dosing
regimens, and provides more definitive data to assist the veterinary
pathologist in drawing a conclusive diagnosis. The data may also be correlated
with gene expression and biochemical profiling to enable discovery of novel
biomarkers and genes. Paradigm Genetics has previously announced an automated
pathology software contract with L'Oreal, the world's largest skin care
company, in which the technology will be used to ensure that engineered tissue
is within acceptable limits of normality.
About Paradigm Genetics
Paradigm Genetics is a biotechnology company applying its proprietary
systems biology platform to the discovery of safer, more effective drugs and
agrichemicals. Paradigm Genetics has major collaborations with the National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Bayer CropScience, the Monsanto
Company, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, the National Institute of Standards &
Technology's Advanced Technology Program, and L'Oreal Inc. For more
information, visit http://www.ParadigmGenetics.com .
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including
statements regarding the Company's expectations for using its systems biology
platform to discover safer, more effective drugs and agrichemicals as well as
statements regarding the use of its automated pathology software as an
accurate, sensitive and important tool for identifying biomarkers. 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, Paradigm'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 Paradigm'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 March 31, 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 Paradigm Genetics, Inc.
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