Phenomix signs collaboration with Genentech

Phenomix Corporation, a San Diego-based drug discovery and development company, is to collaborate with Genentech to identify and prioritise drug targets for treatment of immune disorders.

Under the terms of the multi-year collaboration, Phenomix will receive an upfront payment and an equity investment. Phenomix will also receive research funding and future milestone payments on products emerging from the collaboration that are developed and commercialised by Genentech. In exchange, Genentech will obtain exclusive worldwide rights to research, develop, manufacture and commercialise therapeutics that may be useful for the treatment of immune disorders. In addition, Phenomix will retain rights to develop products based on certain targets discovered in the course of the collaboration.

'Our forward genetics approach differs fundamentally from genomics era attempts at novel target discovery. The targets we identify are inherently demonstrated to reverse disease in a mammalian model,' said Dr Laura Shawver, president and ceo of Phe-nomix. 'This partnership of our unique technology and Genentech's disease expertise presents a fantastic opportunity to identify novel intervention points and develop new treatments for debilitating diseases.'

'Forward genetics has been extremely productive in identifying critical genes in lower organisms such as drosophila and nematodes,' said Dr Chris Goodnow, founder and chief scientific officer of Phenomix. 'We apply the same basic approach to more physiologically relevant mouse models of disease, and our proprietary platform enables us to economically pursue this approach at industrial scale. We're excited to be collaborating with Genentech, given their leadership in immune-related research, development and commercialisation.'

In this collaboration, Phenomix will use its in vivo technology to comprehensively identify relevant new disease targets in immunology. Phenomix' approach utilises disease models with established clinical relevance, combined with proprietary capabilities in high-throughput gene identification.

About Phenomix Corporation

Phenomix is a drug discovery and development company building a therapeutic portfolio for treatment of immune disease and metabolic syndrome. The Company's lead programs for treatment of type 2 diabetes and multiple sclerosis are in preclinical development. By generating detailed physiological data in a mammalian system, Phenomix' in vivo technology provides biological insight that allows earlier and better informed decisions across discovery and development. The Company's platform is complemented by expertise in drug discovery, translational medicine and clinical development. Phenomix is based in San Diego, California and Canberra, Australia.