SAN DIEGO, March 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Gen-Probe Incorporated announced today that it has licensed to Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.,, a leading RNAi therapeutics company, non-exclusive rights to use Gen-Probe's hybridization protection assay (HPA) technology in the development of therapeutic RNA interfering (RNAi) molecules. Financial terms were not disclosed.
"This agreement enables us to generate economic value from our proprietary technologies in an exciting, growing area that is outside our molecular diagnostic focus," said Martin Edelshain, Gen-Probe's vice president of corporate development.
Alnylam is a leader in developing therapeutics based on RNAi, which is a naturally occurring mechanism within cells for selectively silencing and regulating specific genes. Since many diseases are caused by the inappropriate activity of specific genes, the ability to silence genes selectively through RNAi could provide a new way to treat a wide range of human disease.
In developing RNAi therapeutics, researchers must be able to monitor the biodistribution of the drugs throughout the body. Gen-Probe's HPA technology detects these circulating RNAi molecules. With this technology, a specific DNA probe is labeled with an acridinium ester detector molecule that emits light when the probe hybridizes (binds) with its specified target. A luminometer detects and measures the light emitted from the reaction, if any. If no light is generated, the target RNAi molecule is not present in the sample. Based on the high sensitivity of HPA, researchers can use it to detect target molecules without employing cumbersome and time-consuming amplification steps.
About Gen-Probe
Gen-Probe Incorporated is a global leader in the development, manufacture and marketing of rapid, accurate and cost-effective nucleic acid tests (NATs) that are used primarily to diagnose human diseases and screen donated human blood. Gen-Probe has more than 20 years of NAT expertise, and received the 2004 National Medal of Technology, America's highest honor for technological innovation, for developing NAT assays for blood screening. Gen-Probe is headquartered in San Diego and employs approximately 900 people. For more information, go to www.gen-probe.com.
Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements in this press release about our expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance, are not historical facts and are forward-looking statements. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as believe, will, expect, anticipate, estimate, intend, plan and would. For example, statements concerning future royalties and drug development are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. They involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement. Some of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions include but are not limited to: (i) the risk that our HPA technology may not prove useful for this application, (ii) the risk that we will not receive any royalties from this or other agreements. The foregoing list sets forth some, but not all, of the factors that could affect our ability to achieve results described in any forward-looking statements. For additional information about risks and uncertainties we face and a discussion of our financial statements and footnotes, see documents we file with the SEC, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and all subsequent periodic reports. We assume no obligation and expressly disclaim any duty to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release or to reflect the occurrence of subsequent events.
Contact: Herm Rosenman Vice president and chief financial officer 858-410-8900
Gen-Probe IncorporatedCONTACT: Herm Rosenman, Vice president and chief financial officer ofGen-Probe Incorporated, +1-858-410-8900
Web site: http://www.gen-probe.com/
