TARRYTOWN, N.Y., Oct. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) today announced that the Regeneron Genetics Center LLC (RGC), a wholly-owned subsidiary, has formed important new collaborations with leading academic institutions and has welcomed prominent experts into new leadership and advisory roles. To date, the RGC has sequenced de-identified samples from over 10,000 individuals, leveraging laboratory automation and an innovative approach to cloud computing to achieve high-quality throughput at a rate that exceeds 50,000 unique samples per year.
The RGC has formed research collaborations with:
- Columbia University Medical Center, to study the genetic basis of familial diseases, such as inherited cardiometabolic diseases, familial cancer predisposition and rare genetic diseases;
- The Clinic for Special Children, to study the genetic basis of early onset and familial forms of pediatric disorders in Amish and Mennonite populations; and
- Baylor College of Medicine, to study the function of Mendelian disease genes discovered by the Baylor Center for Mendelian Genomics.
The new collaborations, involving Mendelian family-based genetics research, build on the RGC’s existing partnerships with the National Human Genome Research Institute’s (NHGRI) Undiagnosed Diseases Program and the Geisinger Health System in large-scale family- and population-based genetics research.
“These scientific collaborations represent the RGC’s continued expansion into important areas of human genetics research,” said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron and President of Regeneron Laboratories. “Simultaneously, we welcome some of the world’s preeminent genetics experts to our team, ensuring that the RGC will continue to be at the forefront of genetics-based research and drug development.”
Additionally, Regeneron announced the appointment of Alan Shuldiner, M.D., as the Vice President of Translational Genetics. Dr. Shuldiner joins Regeneron from the University of Maryland School of Medicine where he served as the Division Head of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition and Associate Dean and Director of the Program for Personalized and Genomic Medicine.
The RGC has also named Richard Lifton, M.D., Ph.D., as Chairman of its new Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Lifton is currently the Sterling Professor of Genetics, Professor of Medicine (Nephrology), and Chairman of the Department of Genetics at Yale University, as well as an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
In addition to Dr. Lifton, the RGC Scientific Advisory Board consists of seven prominent members of the genetics research community:
- Goncalo Abecasis, Ph.D., Chairman of the Department of Biostatistics and Felix E. Moore Collegiate Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Michigan;
- Wendy Chung, M.D., Ph.D., Herbert Irving Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Columbia University Medical Center;
- Peter Donnelly, Ph.D., Professor of Statistical Science and Director of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics;
- Tim Hunkapiller, Ph.D., President of Discovery Biosciences Corporation;
- Sekar Kathiresan, M.D., Director of Preventive Cardiology at Massachusetts General Hospital, Associate Member in the Broad Institute’s Program in Medical and Population Genetics, and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School;
- James R. Lupski, M.D., Ph.D., D.Sc.(hon), Cullen Professor Molecular and Human Genetics at the Baylor College of Medicine; and
- Elaine Mardis, Ph.D., Robert E. and Louise F. Dunn Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Co-Director at the Genome Institute at the Washington University School of Medicine.
“I’m excited to join the Regeneron Genetics Center at such a promising time for the field,” said Dr. Lifton. “Regeneron’s science-driven culture and track record of solving key R&D challenges uniquely positions the RGC to rapidly translate genetic discoveries into medical innovations and therapies that can truly help patients.”
About the Regeneron Genetics Center
The RGC is a fully integrated genomics program that spans early gene discovery and functional genomics and facilitates drug development. The primary goal of the RGC is to improve patient outcomes by identifying novel drug targets, clinical indications for development programs, and genomic biomarkers for pharmacogenomic applications. The RGC is tackling various sequencing (exomes, targeted sequencing, etc.) and analytical approaches and has established numerous collaborations with leading human genetics researchers. To enable this large-scale sequencing and analysis program, the RGC utilizes fully-automated sample preparation and data processing, as well as cutting-edge cloud-based informatics. Through these efforts, the RGC has sequenced de-identified samples from more than 10,000 individuals to date, and is currently sequencing at a rate of more than 50,000 unique samples per year.
About Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Regeneron is a leading science-based biopharmaceutical company based in Tarrytown, New York that discovers, invents, develops, manufactures, and commercializes medicines for the treatment of serious medical conditions. Regeneron commercializes medicines for eye diseases, colorectal cancer, and a rare inflammatory condition and has product candidates in development in other areas of high unmet medical need, including hypercholesterolemia, oncology, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis. Several Regeneron programs are based on human genetics findings. For additional information about the company, please visit www.regeneron.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties relating to future events and the future performance of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Regeneron”), and actual events or results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Words such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “seek,” “estimate,” variations of such words, and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These statements concern, and these risks and uncertainties include, among others, the nature, timing, and possible success and therapeutic applications of Regeneron’s products, product candidates, and research and clinical programs now underway or planned, including without limitation the Regeneron Genetics Center LLC’s genetic research collaborations, the use of human genetics in Regeneron’s research process, and Regeneron’s ability to translate genetic discoveries into medical innovations and therapies; unforeseen safety issues resulting from the administration of products and product candidates in patients; serious complications or side effects in connection with the use of Regeneron’s product candidates in clinical trials; the likelihood and timing of possible regulatory approval and commercial launch of Regeneron’s late-stage product candidates and new indications for marketed products; ongoing regulatory obligations and oversight impacting Regeneron’s products, research and clinical programs, and business, including those relating to patient privacy, informed consent, and genetic information; determinations by regulatory and administrative governmental authorities which may delay or restrict Regeneron’s ability to continue to develop or commercialize Regeneron’s products and product candidates; competing drugs and product candidates that may be superior to Regeneron’s products and product candidates; uncertainty of market acceptance and commercial success of Regeneron’s products and product candidates; the ability of Regeneron to manufacture and manage supply chains for multiple products and product candidates; coverage and reimbursement determinations by third-party payers, including Medicare and Medicaid; unanticipated expenses; the costs of developing, producing, and selling products; the ability of Regeneron to meet any of its sales or other financial projections or guidance and changes to the assumptions underlying those projections or guidance; the potential for any license or collaboration agreement, including Regeneron’s agreements with Sanofi and Bayer HealthCare LLC, to be cancelled or terminated without any further product success; and risks associated with intellectual property of other parties and pending or future litigation relating thereto. A more complete description of these and other material risks can be found in Regeneron’s filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 and its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2014. The reader is cautioned not to rely on any forward-looking statements made by Regeneron. Regeneron does not undertake any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement, including without limitation any financial projection or guidance, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Your Investor Relations Contact at Regeneron:
Manisha Narasimhan, Ph.D. Tel. 914.847.5126
E-Mail: manisha.narasimhan@regeneron.com
Your Media Contact at Regeneron:
Alexandra Bowie, Tel. 914.847.3407
E-Mail: alexandra.bowie@regeneron.com
SOURCE Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
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