RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Oct. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Paradigm Genetics, Inc. (Nasdaq: PDGM), a life sciences company, today
announced that it has been awarded a five-year toxicogenomics contract of up
to $23.8 million by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
The contract is focused on determining how toxicants work and cause damage at
the cellular level. The research may result in better methods of risk
assessment and compound optimization for both the pharmaceutical and
agricultural chemical industries.
"We are delighted to have been awarded this contract," said Heinrich
Gugger, Ph.D., Paradigm's president and CEO. "It fits directly into our
emerging corporate strategy. And it validates the processes we developed in
gene expression profiling, which were refined over several years through our
interactions with Agilent and Rosetta. This toxicogenomics project will become
a technology foundation for synergies between our agricultural biotechnology
and human health endeavors."
Paradigm researchers will use gene expression profiling methods to measure
the physiological effects of a toxicant, drug or pesticide on an organism.
"Scientists are aware that cells exposed to potential toxicants are capable of
responding in stereotypical ways, according to the type or family of
toxicant," said John E. Hamer, Paradigm's Chief Scientific Officer. "But no
one really understands what happens at the genetic level between the time an
organism is exposed and the time an outcome, such as disease, is seen. This
project seeks to define the similarities and differences between responses as
a way to more fully understand chemical and drug-induced disease processes."
For the project, Paradigm will use a gene expression platform based on
equipment, software and arrays manufactured by Agilent Technologies. "We have
enjoyed a long and fruitful partnership with Paradigm," said Barney Saunders,
vice president and general manager of Agilent's BioResearch Solutions.
"Paradigm's use of our microarray platform for this toxicogenomics contract
conveys the confidence they have in the quality of our products and their
application to toxicogenomics. This project builds on our relationship around
the commercialization of full genome Arabidopsis arrays and sets the stage for
additional collaborations in the future."
The National Center for Toxicogenomics defines toxicogenomics as a
scientific field that seeks to understand how the entire genome is involved in
biological responses of organisms exposed to environmental stresses or
toxicants. It combines the use of gene expression profiling, protein
profiling, genetic susceptibility and computational models to understand the
roles of gene-environment interactions in disease.
About Paradigm Genetics
Paradigm Genetics, Inc., headquartered in Research Triangle Park, NC, is a
life sciences company using genomics and metabolomics-based technologies to
speed the discovery of products for agriculture and human health. In
agriculture, Paradigm has unlocked the potential of functional genomics
through its GeneFunction Factory(TM) industrialized technology platform, which
links gene expression profiling, biochemical profiling, and phenotypic
profiling to create industry-leading genomic knowledge and intellectual
property advantages. Also, Paradigm offers plant breeders genotyping,
molecular breeding and genomic services to accelerate product development
through its business unit ParaGen. In human health, Paradigm partners with
pharmaceutical and other biotechnology companies to transform drug discovery
and development by significantly enhancing the study of drug targets, lead
compounds, and predictive medicine. The company's proprietary MetaVantage(TM)
metabolomics platform elucidates the metabolic profile of a cell, tissue, or
fluid, and integrates this information with data from other genomics analyses
using its proprietary comprehensive informatics system. For more information,
visit http://www.paradigmgenetics.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including
statements regarding Paradigm's ability to develop novel technologies to speed
the discovery of products for agriculture and human health; the prospects of
Paradigm and its partners to market their technologies and develop products;
Paradigm's ability to meet or exceed the expectations of its partners and
customers; as well as Paradigm's prospects for growth and innovation. 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, 2001 and in its quarterly report on Form 10-Q
for the quarter ended March 31, 2002, 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.
GeneFunction Factory(TM) and MetaVantage(TM) are U.S. trademarks of
Paradigm Genetics, Inc.
SOURCE Paradigm Genetics, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.paradigmgenetics.com
CONTACT:
Melissa Matson, Manager, Corporate
Communications of Paradigm Genetics, Inc., +1-919-425-3000; or
Amy Garay of Noonan Russo Presence Euro RSCG, +1-212-845-4200,
for Paradigm Genetics
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