CompuGen Premieres Biological Modeling

08 November 2004 00:01  [Source: ICB Americas]

Tel Aviv, Israel-based Compugen Ltd. stands at the doorway of evolution in drug discovery. The company has developed a novel method to mathematically predict the existence of potential protein therapeutics, disease biomarkers and drug targets.

A fully predictive method for identifying alternative splice variants in the human genome, Compugen’s approach does not require either expressed sequence tag (EST) data or microarray experimentation. The company premiered the new technology, developed in collaboration with Tel Aviv University, in a recent announcement released in October.

Many novel proteins predicted by this method are currently undergoing initial assessment for possible addition to the company’s growing pipeline of therapeutic and diagnostic products. Compugen also intends to license some of these proteins in future deals.

The new method is based on a computer-learning model incorporating algorithms based on the company’s breakthrough research in the understanding of the alternative splicing process, notes Martin Gerstel, chairman of the board, Compugen. “Compugen’s primary goal is to bring a higher probability of success to pharmaceutical research by the use of predictive models incorporating such deeper understandings of the science underlying life sciences at the molecular level,” he states.

“Biology has now reached a stage where it can begin to use the language of mathematics to describe and predict important aspects of life, and we are pioneering these efforts,” Mr. Gerstel remarks.

EST and microarray, the two conventional methods commonly used for identifying alternative splicing, rely heavily on the mining of substantial experimental data. Neither method is able to detect a substantial portion of splice variants in the human genome, according to Mr. Gerstel.

The EST method, the main information source for alternative splicing prediction, tends to under-represent splice variants that are expressed in low levels. Meanwhile, microarray-based methods cannot sample all possible combinations of tissues, developmental stages, and conditions.

“In contrast, this latest Compugen method, based on comparative genomics, can accurately predict alternative splicing based solely on human and mouse genomic DNA,” Mr. Gerstel says. “Compugen to date has discovered over 300 novel splice variants with this method, adding to the thousands previously discovered using its LEADS computational biology platform.”

Compugen has begun to form alliances revolving around the use of its predictive modeling expertise to generate important disease markers. In September the company signed a deal with Los Angeles, Calif.-based Diagnostic Products Corp. (DPC) to collaborate on the development and commercialization of new diagnostic products targeted for the cancer and cardiovascular fields.

Under the agreement, DPC will de-velop immunoassay and nucleic-acid diagnostics based on biomarkers discovered by Compugen, including certain ones already in Compugen’s arsenal. Com-pugen will identify and initially validate biomarker candidates, and DPC will then apply its expertise to develop the biomarkers into commercial viable diagnostic products.

Compugen’s LEADS computational biology platform uses algorithms and advanced computational tools to model complex biological phenomena such as alternative splicing, antisense and RNA editing with relative accuracy. It creates a comprehensive view of genes, mRNA transcripts and proteins, increasing the probability of success in meeting biological challenges.

—Feliza Mirasol

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