SEQUENOM and Iceland Genomics Announce Research Collaboration to Investigate Role of Cancer Predisposition Genes
San Diego, California and Reykjavik, Iceland (ots/PRNewswire)
- Continues Research to Validate Significance of SEQUENOM's Portfolio of Breast Cancer Genetic Discoveries
SEQUENOM, Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNM) and Iceland Genomics Corporation (Iceland Genomics), a privately-held company, entered into a research collaboration to analyze SEQUENOM's proprietary panels of genetic markers associated with breast and prostate cancer in Icelandic patient samples. The results of this collaboration could provide further validation of SEQUENOM's genetic markers predisposing for breast and prostate cancer, and improve the understanding of the role of these genetic markers in disease onset, progression and therapeutic response.
SEQUENOM's proprietary genetic markers were discovered through a series of genome-wide association studies and subsequently replicated in multiple independent clinical collections. Among the markers to be studied in the Icelandic population are SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) from the ICAM and the NuMA gene regions. SEQUENOM and Iceland Genomics will jointly analyze the resulting data to determine to what extent SEQUENOM's disease predisposition markers are associated with specific clinical endpoints.
"The collaboration between our two companies may lead to important breast and prostate cancer diagnostic and prognostic applications in the field of molecular medicine. The study should provide insight to what extent genetic markers that predispose an individual to a higher disease risk affect disease progression and therapeutic outcome," stated Steve Zaniboni, SEQUENOM's acting Chief Executive Officer. "SEQUENOM has identified and validated more than 60 high confidence candidate gene regions in 11 major disease areas. This collaboration is part of a program to establish the diagnostic value of SEQUENOM's disease gene portfolio beyond disease predisposition."
"Iceland is a very exciting and rewarding place for performing genetic analysis of complex diseases such as cancer. Comprehensive clinical data combined with the participation and goodwill of Icelanders and the clinical community provides an unparalleled basis for a successful research effort," said Dana Hosseini, Iceland Genomics' Chief Executive Officer. "This agreement is part of our long term strategic effort to utilize our cancer research program to develop results that can be translated into therapeutic benefits for cancer patients."
Iceland Genomics will utilize its large collections of breast and prostate cancer patient samples and clinical databases to test and validate SEQUENOM's markers. The results of the collaboration are expected to increase the utility and value of Iceland Genomics' cancer genomic database. SEQUENOM has commercialization rights for products developed as a result of the collaboration and Iceland Genomics is entitled to receive royalties from sales of those products.
About Iceland Genomics Corporation
Iceland Genomics Corporation (Iceland Genomics) is a privately held cancer biology company using an innovative 'clinical genomics' approach to understand the underlying mechanisms of cancer, isolate and characterize new therapeutic targets for cancer, assess outcomes of specific therapies in genetically defined subcategories of cancer patients and optimize clinical trials for success. Iceland Genomics was incorporated in the State of Delaware in October 1998, and is the sole owner of an Icelandic subsidiary called UVS. Iceland Genomics is one of several genomics-based biotechnology companies operating in Iceland and the only company that solely focuses on cancer biology.
About SEQUENOM
SEQUENOM is committed to providing the best genetic analysis products that translate genomic science into superior solutions for biomedical research, molecular medicine and agricultural applications. The Company's proprietary MassARRAY system is a high-performance DNA analysis platform that efficiently and precisely measures the amount of genetic target material and variations therein. The system is able to deliver reliable and specific data from complex biological samples and from genetic target material that is only available in trace amounts.
SEQUENOM(R) and MassARRAY(R) are registered trademarks of SEQUENOM, Inc.
Contact:
Amy Caterina, SEQUENOM, Inc., Investor Relations, +1-858-202-9033,
acaterina@sequenom.com; Dana Hosseini, Iceland Genomics Corporation,
Chief Executive Officer, +354-525-3615, dhosseini@uvs.is