NEW HAVEN, Conn.--CuraGen announced the expansion of its proprietary database to include more than 70,000 novel human sequences, organized into large gene segments or assemblies, that are not publicly available. The database will serve as the basis for developing protein therapeutic drugs, human antibody drug targets, and for identifying small molecule drug targets. CuraGen researchers will also use the data to mine public databases for data useful in assembling full-length genes and discovering additional drug targets.
In other news, in collaboration with Glaxo Wellcome, CuraGen has completed a research program investigating biological pathways that may be associated with Alzheimer's disease. The completion of the research triggers an undisclosed payment to CuraGen. "CuraGen's ability to precisely evaluate differential gene expression in specific tissues has provided Glaxo Wellcome with greater insight into Alzheimer's disease," said Allen Roses, Glaxo's vice-president and worldwide director of genetics.