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NEWTON, Mass., Oct 04, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Clinical Data, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLDA) announced today that its Cogenics Division has signed an agreement to provide genomic testing services to the pain research community based on Algynomics' proprietary panel of genetic markers. This panel is designed to examine the genetic basis or underpinnings of human pain sensitivity, pain conditions, and responses to existing and new pharmacological agents used to treat pain, inflammation and mood disorders. The genetic panel is the result of more than ten years of rigorous pain research performed at the University of North Carolina's Center for Neurosensory Disorders located within UNC's School of Dentistry, and which has been licensed to Algynomics for commercialization.
The Cogenics genetic pain panel, initially offered as a complex microarray-based genotyping service, will be launched at the American Society of Human Genomics Annual Meeting to be held from Oct 9-13 in New Orleans. The proprietary panel provides researchers with access to more than 3,000 SNP's for drug and diagnostic development to help determine an individual's susceptibility to pain.
Robert Bondaryk, PhD, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Cogenics, commented, "We are pleased to reach this agreement and look forward to working closely with Algynomics to bring this unique research tool in the area of chronic and acute pain to market. This collaboration fits well with Clinical Data's model of commercializing proprietary offerings in pharmacogenomics for our clients in research and clinical settings and brings unique value to our pharma, biotech and academic clients doing research and drug development in all of the therapeutic categories where pain management is a significant challenge."
Luda Diatchenko, MD, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Algynomics, said, "We have designed the pain genetic panel for use in clinical studies seeking to identify the genetic contribution to pain susceptibility and to predict positive and adverse responses to therapeutic regimens for acute and chronic pain. We envision this testing service to become a standard tool for clinical scientists and researchers to better understand the pathophysiology of pain conditions and the identification of useful clinical markers."
The management of pain syndromes and conditions is considered to fall into two major categories: acute and chronic pain. Acute pain is generally transient and most commonly results from an injury or surgery. Chronic pain results from persistent or long-term changes in pain processing pathways produced by prolonged inflammation (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis), injury (e.g., whiplash and lower back pain), surgery (e.g., implants, amputations, and thoracotomy), and other environmental exposures and insults (e.g., fibromyalgia, temporomandibular disorders, and irritable bowel syndrome). Chronic pain is the number one cause of adult disability, affecting 20-30% of the U.S. population and accounting for approximately 20% of medical visits and 10% of prescription drug sales. Pain sensitivity, the susceptibility to develop chronic pain conditions, and the responses to treatment of both acute and chronic pain, are highly variable and influenced by genetic variation in multiple genes.
About Algynomics, Inc
Algynomics (www.algynomics.com) is a privately held company that was founded in 2005. The core mission of Algynomics is to become the world-wide leader in the area of pain diagnostics, management, and prevention by use of emerging methodologies with an emphasis in the field of pain genomics. Algynomics holds a lead position in the area of human pain genetics and owns the rights, which are licensed from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, to develop and market genetic markers in the field of pain. The company is developing niche specific medical devices utilizing proprietary software programs that integrate information of genetic pain biomarkers with neurological and psychological assessments which will permit the sub-diagnosis and "tailoring" of safe and effective pain therapies for the individual patient. The introduction of these devices to clinical practice will reduce overall healthcare costs for payers, providers and patients and will ultimately become a key diagnostic device for healthcare providers. Algynomics also holds the rights to develop and market several novel small molecular weight compounds as analgesics based on its discoveries in the area of pain genomics. Algynomics is exploring further partnership opportunities targeting diagnostic and therapeutic areas in pain management
About Clinical Data, Inc.
Clinical Data, Inc., a worldwide leader in providing comprehensive molecular and pharmacogenomics services as well as genetic tests to improve patient care, is organized under three worldwide divisions segmented by service offerings and varying client constituents: PGxHealth(TM); Cogenics(TM); and Vital Diagnostics(TM). The Pharmacogenomics and Molecular Services(TM) division, Cogenics, consolidates operations of Genaissance Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Lark Technologies, Inc., Icoria, Inc., and Genome Express SA to provide a comprehensive range of molecular biology and pharmacogenomics services to pharmaceutical, biotech, academic, agricultural, and government clients. These services are offered in both research and regulated environments and have applications across the lifecycle of pharmaceutical product development including pharmacovigilance requirements post-launch. PGxHealth builds upon existing assets and know-how acquired from Genaissance Pharmaceuticals, Icoria, and Genome Express in the areas of genomics-based, genetic tests and therapeutic efficacy and safety biomarker development for drug utilization. PGxHealth develops, validates and commercializes novel Therapeutic Diagnostics(TM), in some instances in combination with new and existing therapeutics, to improve patient care. In addition, PGxHealth has a therapeutic drug candidate, vilazodone, currently in late stage clinical trials for the treatment of depression. Vital Diagnostics serves the clinical laboratory in the traditional in-vitro diagnostics market worldwide. With a focus on the physician's office, hospital and small-to-medium sized laboratory segments and customers in approximately 100 countries, Vital Diagnostics has achieved a leading market share for instruments and reagents sold into moderately complex physicians' office laboratories within the United States. Clinical Data is headquartered in Newton, Mass. with operations in Texas, Connecticut, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and California as well as internationally in the UK, France, the Netherlands, Italy and Australia.
SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995
This press release contains certain forward-looking information and statements that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor for forward looking statements provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Words such as "expect(s)", "feel(s)", "believe(s)", "will", "may", "anticipate(s)" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our ability to successfully integrate the operations, business, technology and intellectual property obtained in our recent acquisitions; our ability to obtain regulatory approval for, and successfully introduce our new products; our ability to expand our long-term business opportunities; our ability to maintain normal terms with our customers and partners; financial projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions; and statements regarding future performance. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, the effects of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of the Company, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, whether Clinical Data will be able to develop or acquire additional products and attract new business and strategic partners; competition from pharmaceutical, biotechnology and diagnostics companies; the strength of our intellectual property rights; the effect on the Company's operations and results of significant acquisitions or divestitures made by major competitors; the Company's ability to achieve expected synergies and operating efficiencies in all of its acquisitions, and to successfully integrate its operations; and those risks discussed and identified by Clinical Data in its public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements that speak only as of the date hereof. Clinical Data does not undertake any obligation to republish revised forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Readers are also urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures in Clinical Data's SEC reports, including but not limited to its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006, and fiscal 2005, 2006, and 2007 quarterly reports on Forms 10-QSB and 10-Q.
SOURCE: Clinical Data, Inc.
For Clinical Data, Inc. Investors: John Quirk, 646-536-7029 jquirk@theruthgroup.com or Media: Janine McCargo, 646-536-7033 jmccargo@theruthgroup.com or Pain Panel Service Inquiries: Clinical Data Inc. Faye S. O'Brien, 919-463-6738 fobrien@clda.com or Internet Website: www.clda.com
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