April 12, 2015 07:01 PM Eastern Daylight Time
HATFIELD & OXFORD, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Eisai and Genomics plc today announce a collaborative agreement to use Genomics' sophisticated statistical analyses of large-scale multi-phenotype genetic association data to inform Eisai's drug discovery process, including target selection, target validation, indication selection and repositioning.
"Genomics' founders are internationally recognized leaders in the analysis and interpretation of human genetic data. This collaboration is another indication of Eisai's commitment to leveraging genomic knowledge to accelerate the discovery and development of impactful new medicines."
Both companies believe that human genetics and genomics can add great value to the drug development process. Genomics plc, the Oxford based genome analytics company, will be partnering with Eisai's new Integrated Human Genomics (IHGx) Research Unit, which operates directly under the supervision of Eisai Product Creation Systems' Chief Clinical Officer.
"Eisai is delighted to be working with Genomics," states Dr Nadeem Sarwar, Global Head of Genetics & Human Biology and Director of the IHGx Research Unit, "Genomics' founders are internationally recognized leaders in the analysis and interpretation of human genetic data. This collaboration is another indication of Eisai's commitment to leveraging genomic knowledge to accelerate the discovery and development of impactful new medicines."
Professor Peter Donnelly, a director and founder of Genomics, says "Genomics' research work with Eisai will demonstrate the real value that powerful analyses of large genomic databases can add to drug development pipelines."
"Genomics is excited to be working with one of the world's leading research and development-based pharmaceutical companies, in the rapidly growing area of genomic analysis. This exciting new area promises to have a major impact on medicine," adds John Colenutt, CEO of Genomics.
Eisai's Integrated Human Genomics Research Unit combines dedicated quantitative, wet-lab biology and chemistry expertise and resource within an autonomous and highly collaborative R&D innovation unit. IHGx focuses predominantly on neurodegeneration, auto-immune diseases and oncology, employing entrepreneurial and collaborative business models, to catalyse delivery of novel and targeted therapeutics from human genetics to patients.
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About Eisai Co., Ltd.
Eisai Co., Ltd. is a leading global research and development-based pharmaceutical company headquartered in Japan. We define our corporate mission as "giving first thought to patients and their families and to increasing the benefits health care provides," which we call our human health care (hhc) philosophy. With over 10,000 employees working across our global network of R&D facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, we strive to realise our hhc philosophy by delivering innovative products in multiple therapeutic areas with high unmet medical needs, including Oncology and Neurology.
As a global pharmaceutical company, our mission extends to patients around the world through our investment and participation in partnership-based initiatives to improve access to medicines in developing and emerging countries.
For more information about Eisai Co., Ltd., please visit www.eisai.com.
About Genomics plc
Genomics, a spin out company from the University of Oxford, was founded by Professors Peter Donnelly and Gil McVean. It has developed a unique analytical platform for genomic sequence data analysis and interpretation, and combines this with world-leading expertise in the analysis and data mining of large genomic databases. Genomics plc has already been awarded three grants from the UK Small Business Research Initiative by Genomics England, the company running the UK project to undertake whole genome sequencing of 100,000 patients in the National Health Service. The most recent award of £2M, announced in March, will fund the continued development of the company's analytical platform. Genomics plc is also working with other pharmaceutical companies to bring the benefits of genomic analysis to the drug development process. The company closed a Series A funding round of £10.3M ($16M) in November 2014. Major investors include IP Group, Invesco Perpetual, Woodford Investment Management and Lansdowne Partners.
Contacts
Eisai
Cressida Robson / Ben Speller
+44(0)7908 314 155/+44(0) 7908 409416
[email protected]
[email protected]
or
Genomics plc
John Colenutt, CEO/ Professor Peter Donnelly
+44 (0)7771 865886/+44 (0)1865 287725
[email protected]
[email protected]