Velcura Therapeutics(TM), Inc. Announces New DNA Microarray to Help Speed Bone Disease Research
July 22 2004 - 5:15PM
PR Newswire (US)
Velcura Therapeutics(TM), Inc. Announces New DNA Microarray to Help
Speed Bone Disease Research ANN ARBOR, Mich., July 22
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Velcura Therapeutics(TM), Inc. announced
today the development of a custom Affymetrix (NASDAQ:AFFX)
GeneChip(R) array that aids the development of bone disease
therapies by enabling researchers to follow global changes in gene
expression during human bone formation. Velcura worked with
Affymetrix, the world leader in DNA microarray technologies, to
design and produce the custom array using Affymetrix'
CustomExpress(TM) Array Program. This custom GeneChip array, which
Velcura hopes will help speed research to help fight osteoporosis
and other bone diseases, is available only to Velcura Therapeutics
for use within the company for its own studies or that of its
strategic partners. DNA microarrays allow the human genome to be
rapidly and consistently queried for changes in gene expression or
variations in gene sequence. Approximately 1,500 genes were
included on the chip. The custom GeneChip array included genes that
Velcura Therapeutics' scientists discovered as well as another 250
genes that were reported in the scientific literature as bone-
related. Affymetrix' CustomExpress Array Program enables
researchers to quickly design reproducible, affordable GeneChip
expression arrays specific to their needs. Customers can mix and
match content from Affymetrix' commercially available GeneChip
expression arrays or let Affymetrix help them with probe selection
to create arrays featuring their unique target sequences.
CustomExpress Arrays are available in a variety of formats to
accommodate content requirements, ranging from 520 to over 61,000
sequences per array. The President and CEO of Velcura Therapeutics,
Michael W. Long, Ph.D., explained, "The Affymetrix technology
allows for rapid target identification and drug optimization at the
level of the gene. This new custom GeneChip array greatly
accelerates these processes by reducing the analysis of the 30-
thousand or so genes in the human genome to those genes most
involved in human bone formation." Daniel Chagnovich, Ph.D. led the
team of Velcura scientists that identified gene changes by
examining gene-expression across the entire complement of human
genes, in multiple individuals, under a variety of experimental
conditions. "The resultant data set contained more than 65 million
entries," said Dr. Chagnovich. "We employed bioinformatic tools and
statistical methods to analyze these data and come up with the set
of genes that are differentially modified during bone formation."
Lianne McLean, director of Marketing at Affymetrix, said, "We are
pleased Velcura Therapeutics chose to create a new custom GeneChip
array to help it and its partners to further research into new
methods for treating osteoporosis and other bone diseases that are
expected to affect more than 200 million men and women during the
next two decades." About Velcura Therapeutics(TM), Inc.: Velcura
Therapeutics, Inc. is involved in developing novel therapies for
osteoporosis and other bone diseases. The biotechnology company
builds on its patented technology and ability to rapidly isolate
and analyze human bone cells. Velcura Therapeutics(TM) has an
exclusive license agreement with the University of Michigan and is
based in Ann Arbor, Mich. Velcura Therapeutics President and CEO
Michael W. Long, Ph.D. and CFO Mary Ann Alger founded the company
in 2001, the same year it was the grand prize winner in the first
annual Great Lakes Entrepreneurs Quest. The company received $3.3
million in funding from the Michigan Life Science Corridor in 2002
and a $224,000 Phase 1 Small Business Innovation Research grant
from the NIH National Institute on Aging in 2003. For more
information, visit http://www.velcura.com/ . Available Topic
Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click
appropriate link. Michael W. Long, Ph.D.
http://www.profnet.com/ud_public.jsp?userid=342569 Daniel
Chagnovich, Ph.D.
http://www.profnet.com/ud_public.jsp?userid=342623 DATASOURCE:
Velcura Therapeutics, Inc. CONTACT: Cindy Orlandi, APR, ABC, of
Velcura Therapeutics, Inc., +1-734-250-2619, or +1-734-973-1000,
Web site: http://www.velcura.com/
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