GNS employs massively parallel supercomputers to probe vast amounts of raw human biological data to discover new insights into the biological causes of human disease, and new opportunities for diagnosis and treatment. Under this agreement, GNS will use its REFS™ (Reverse Engineering/Forward Simulation) platform to transform genetic, genomic, and clinical data provided by Biogen Idec to generate and score billions of hypotheses to discover new drug targets and biomarkers rapidly.
“Our proprietary technology is capable of taking raw “omic” data and running billions of calculations in a short period of time to find potential biomarkers and promising drug targets that could lead to more effective patient treatments,” said Colin Hill, CEO of GNS. “It is the value and speed of our REFS™ technology and the potential it offers to the Biogen Idec drug development program that forged our partnership.”
About REFS™
Reverse Engineering/Forward Simulation (REFSTM) is a technology that systematically turns multiple layers of biologically relevant data into an unprecedented view of human biology and disease as a "whole." REFSTM begins with raw biological data (genetic, genomic, epigenetic, proteomic, metabolomic and environmental) and rapidly performs billions upon billions of calculations to determine how the molecules interact with one another in the complete system (Reverse Engineering). These computer-assembled models are then queried rapidly through billions of in silico experiments (Forward Simulation) to discover the highest-impact molecular targets for the disease being studied and the corresponding efficacy and toxicity markers related to specific drug treatments. These findings are then tested in both the laboratory and the clinic, enabling a faster, more focused and more effective drug discovery and development process.
About Gene Network Sciences
Founded in 2000, Gene Network Sciences (http://www.gnsbiotech.com/) is a leader in biosimulation with its ability to derive molecular mechanisms of drugs and diseases directly from molecular profiling and clinical data without any a priori knowledge. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, GNS uses its REFSTM (reverse engineering and forward simulation) technology in pharmaceutical and clinical settings to rapidly turn complex and heterogeneous data sets into cell and organ-level computer models of disease biology, drug efficacy and drug safety. These models simulate mechanisms of disease and the clinical performance of drug candidates. By discovering how and why specific drug candidates impact human biology, GNS technology enables the rapid development of breakthrough drug and diagnostic products.
