Lexicon on top of gene analysis

Lexicon Genetics from The Woodlands, TX, US, has completed its initial analysis of the physiological functions of more than 1,250 genes.

This milestone represents the completion of one quarter of Lexicon's Genome5000 program for the discovery of new drug targets from the human genome. The Company expects to continue the analysis of the remaining genes at a rate of approximately 1,000 genes per year.

  'We have now harvested more than 20 drug discovery programs from the human genome in major areas of medical need, including Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, inflammation and heart disease," said Dr Arthur Sands, Lexicon's president and chief executive officer. 'We are using this approach to increase the speed at which potential new breakthrough therapies can be brought into development.'

  "Having knocked out and analyzed the in vivo function of more than 1,250 genes, Lexicon has obtained a first look at some of the most attractive targets from the genome,' said Brian P. Zambrowicz, Ph.D., Lexicon's executive vice president of research. 'The Genome5000 is composed of the protein families that are of greatest interest for drug development within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.'

Lexicon's Genome5000 Program is focused on the discovery of the functions in mammalian physiology of protein families selected based on their desirable characteristics for pharmaceutical development, such as G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), nuclear hormone receptors, ion channels, transporters, kinases, proteases, key enzymes and secreted proteins. Lexicon is using its gene knockout technology to discover the physiological functions of 5,000 of these genes. Using this physiological information, Lexicon selects targets for its drug discovery programs that, when knocked out, exhibit favourable therapeutic profiles for the development of drugs.