NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Horizon Discovery and Novartis have struck a collaboration for cancer models that will be used in Novartis' drug research programs.
Cambridge, UK-based Horizon Discovery said this week that under the four-year strategic collaboration it will use its Genesis gene engineering platform to develop a panel of genetically defined mutant and normal (X-MAN) cancer models for the drug company. In return, Novartis will pay Horizon up-front, milestone, and renewal fees of undisclosed value.
X-MAN cell lines could be used to target the root causes of cancer by providing a source of human cell-types that have a specific cancer causing gene, said Horizon.
"Horizon's proprietary GENESIS platform enables the routine generation of a wide-range of human disease models that were difficult or impossible to generate using historical gene-engineering techniques," Horizon CEO Chris Torrance said in a statement.