Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Gene Network Sciences to help Biogen Idec ID new drug opportunities

By Mass High Tech Staff

Bioinformatics company Gene Network Sciences Inc. has entered into an agreement with Biogen Idec Inc. under which Cambridge-based Gene Network will use its supercomputing software platform to identify targets and biomarkers in inflammation using clinical data provided by Biogen Idec.

According to Gene Network officials, the company will use its massively parallel supercomputers to study large amounts of data and find the biological causes of certain human diseases, creating opportunities for Biogen Idec (Nasdaq: BIIB) to develop new diagnosis methods and treatments.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Biogen Idec, also based in Cambridge, will get a computer model based on the data at the end of the deal, Gene Network officials said.
 
In August of 2007, Gene Network reached a deal for an undisclosed amount to provide its technology to Cambridge-based biotech CombinatoRx Inc. The deal enabled CombinatoRx to use Gene Network’s software to help CombinatoRx identify combination drug treatments, said Gene Network.
 
Privately held Gene Network has offices in Cambridge and Ithaca, N.Y.