Beyond Genomics, Inc. And AstraZeneca PLC To Apply Systems Biology To Toxicology Study

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 3, 2004--Beyond Genomics, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a pilot agreement with AstraZeneca to apply its Systems Biology expertise to the area of predictive toxicology. Beyond Genomics (BG) will utilize its proprietary Systems Biology platforms and BioSystematics(TM) informatics tools to analyze and integrate transcript, protein, and metabolite data in a study designed to discover biomarkers of drug-induced toxicity. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"By partnering with AstraZeneca, a global leader in pharmaceutical research and development, in the important area of toxicology, we can demonstrate that BG's Systems Biology approach delivers critical knowledge that can be applied to reduce development costs and advance drugs with improved safety profiles," Muz Mansuri, Executive Chairman of Beyond Genomics explained.

BG's proprietary Systems Biology platforms generate BioSystem Markers(TM), unique molecular "signatures" indicative of various biological states such as health, disease, therapeutic response, or, in the case of predictive toxicology, early indicators of a toxic response. BioSystem Markers(TM) are discovered by using relevant human or animal samples and are comprised of one or more biomolecular class (e.g., transcript, protein, and metabolite) that, when evaluated together, are uniquely characteristic of a biological state.

About Beyond Genomics

Founded in 2000, Beyond Genomics is an emerging biotechnology company that applies its proprietary Systems Biology platforms to develop novel therapeutics and biomarkers. Current approaches such as genomics and proteomics focus on one aspect of biological systems at a time. Rather than simplifying the inherent complexity of biological processes that underlie human diseases or that govern drug responses, Beyond Genomics has pioneered the creation of Molecular Phenotypes(TM) to enable biological research at the systems level. Molecular Phenotyping(TM) involves measuring complex biological samples, including simultaneously measuring transcripts, proteins and metabolites, and integrating these data sets with clinical information. Tracking changes in Molecular Phenotypes(TM) can improve multiple aspects of pharmaceutical discovery and development, including drug safety and efficacy, drug response, and the etiology of disease. BG's Systems Biology platform integrates state-of-the-art technologies in proteomics, metabolomics, and bioinformatics. The company has also developed a proprietary BioSystematics(TM) data integration and knowledge management platform that generates connections, correlations, and relationships among thousands of measurable molecular components. www.BeyondGenomics.com

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services. It is one of the top five pharmaceutical companies in the world with healthcare sales of over $18.8 billion and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, oncology, cardiovascular, neuroscience and respiratory products. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global and European) as well as the FTSE4Good Index. Worldwide, AstraZeneca has six major research and development sites and four discovery sites employing more then 11,000 people in six countries including Canada, France, India, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States.

For more information, please visit www.astrazeneca.com/research.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact:
Beyond Genomics, Inc.
Ted Marple, 781-890-1199
info@BeyondGenomics.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Source: Beyond Genomics, Inc.