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14 April 2003
Auckland and Sydney, April 14, 2003 – Genesis Research and Development Corporation Limited (NZSE/ASX: GEN) and EvoGenix Pty Limited today announced the signing of a collaboration agreement to undertake a joint research and development program to discover novel anti-inflammatory drugs. Through its genomics research to identify potential drug targets, Genesis has discovered a novel immune modulator which may be a key regulator in some inflammatory conditions. EvoGenix will apply its expertise in the discovery and optimisation of protein therapeutics in collaboration with Genesis to evaluate this molecule as a drug target. In Phase I of the research project Genesis and EvoGenix will screen and test sequences in a library of antibody-like molecules to identify inhibitors of specific biological activity. Later phases of the work will involve selection of an appropriate therapeutic molecule to focus on targets in inflammation and undertake extensive laboratory testing before commencing patient trials. CEO of EvoGenix Dr Merilyn Sleigh says, “The project is an excellent example of trans-Tasman co-operation in biotech, building on the complementary skills of our two companies to address what we hope to establish as an exciting new target for anti-inflammatory drugs.” “Companies in the Australasian region need to work together to maximise the value of their intellectual property as they develop products for the global health market,” said Dr Douglas Williams, Head of Health for Genesis Research. “The combination of expertise and intellectual property in Genesis Research and EvoGenix makes us ideal partners in exploring this very interesting opportunity.” About Genesis Founded in 1994, Genesis is a New Zealand-based biotechnology company committed to the building of a broad genomic platform for the development of innovative products in health and plant biotechnology. Genesis partners with industry leaders to develop products which have global market potential through the mining of its extensive microbe, plant and mammalian EST databases. The Health Division has three programmes in human clinical development for the treatment of psoriasis, atopic dermatitis (eczema) and asthma, with additional programmes for cancer and other indications in pre-clinical development. The patented BioStore solutions for storage of tissues and living cells are also in pre-clinical development. Collaborations are maintained with Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN), Corixa Corporation (NASDAQ: CRXA), SR Pharma (LSE: SPA), and Jurox Pty Ltd. The Plant division has research collaborations with ArborGen, Wrightson (NZSE: WRI), HortResearch, AgResearch, and Landcare. Genesis is also undertaking significant unpartnered research programmes in novel plant hormones. The company has an extensive health and plant patent portfolio. For more information, please visit www.genesis.co.nz About EvoGenix Australian biotechnology company EvoGenix was established in 2001, and has developed an advanced technology platform in the area of protein therapeutic discovery and optimisation. The company’s proprietary EvoGene™ Technology provides a method for protein drug developers to rapidly assess many variants of a natural protein, to find the ideal product candidate which combines high activity and specificity with capacity for efficient production, without damaging the inherent benefits of the starting protein. EvoGenix combines this capability with the ability to identify antibodies, and antibody-like reagents, directed against novel drug targets. EvoGenix is applying its technology capabilities in in-house and collaborative projects for discovery and optimisation of novel protein therapeutics, and in projects commissioned by Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical companies, where its protein optimisation capabilities aid in the selection of improved product candidates for further development. For more information on EvoGenix, see www.evogenix.com. Media contacts: Dr Douglas Williams, Head of Health, Genesis Research and Development Corporation Limited, +64 21 773 544 Dr Merilyn Sleigh, Chief Executive Officer, EvoGenix Pty Limited +61 2 8257 3393 Allan Botica, Botica Butler Raudon Partners, +64 9 303 3862, +64 21 400 500, allanb@botica.co.nz |