Woburn, MA, January 18, 2001
AlphaGene, Inc. announced today that results of an
analysis comparing its proprietary inventory of
expressed genes with the data published by the
public consortium of the human genome project
revealed approximately 64 new genes on Chromosome
21, and 200 new genes on Chromosome 22. Using other
computational criteria, today's finding could also
be interpreted as a doubling of the genes identified
on both of these chromosomes. The use of this
methodology suggests that AlphaGene has a highly
novel inventory, and as a result, an important
Intellectual Property opportunity.
"We feel our proprietary methodology in
obtaining expressed genes from human tissue gives us
a significant lead in finding new undiscovered
genes, a more rapid method of determining the
protein coding sequences and function and
consequently a premier patent position," stated
Peter A. Schad, Ph.D., AlphaGene's Vice President
and Chief Scientific Officer.
After further bioinformatic analysis of these new
and novel genes, which was validated in
collaboration with an independent partner, a large
number of potential druggable targets were
identified including: Integrins, Kinases,
Phosphotases, Proteases, Transcription Factors, Zinc
Fingers and GPCR's.
Donald J. McCarren, Ph.D., President and CEO,
commented, "This finding is all the more
significant since these druggable targets are either
full-length or large gene clones. However, the
numbers of actual proteins could be considerably
greater, since it refers to physical genes and does
not attempt to determine the number of possible
alternatively spliced or post translational modified
genes on these chromosomes."
AlphaGene makes primary non-amplified, full-length
expressed gene libraries that result in clones that
are not biased by PCR or by initial expression in
E.coli. This process permits AlphaGene to produce
clones that would not normally amplify by PCR or
cause poor growth in E.coli. Since these expressed
cDNAs in the AlphaGene inventory are from polyA
containing sequences, it appears there are a
significant number of genes not found by the public
EST gene identification technologies.
About AlphaGene, Inc.
AlphaGene, Inc. (http://www.alphagene.com)
is a privately held functional genomics company
offering products and services to biotech and
pharmaceutical companies engaged in drug discovery and
development. AlphaGene uses its large inventory of
full-length cDNAs and Bioinformatics expertise to
bridge the gap between genomics and functional
proteomics. The company focuses on differential gene
expression in degenerative neurological diseases
including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's
Diseases.
