Incyte Expands Roche and AstraZeneca Partnerships

PALO ALTO, Calif.--Incyte Pharmaceuticals announced the expansion and extension of its agreements with Hoffmann-La Roche and AstraZeneca, continuing deals that were originally signed in 1996. AstraZeneca's expanded arrangement will include access to Incyte's LifeSeq Gold database of human gene sequence and expression data, its ZooSeq animal model database, and additional genomic databases and services. The Roche agreement grants access to LifeSeq Gold, ZooSeq, and continued access to the LifeSeq Atlas mapping database in exchange for annual access fees. In addition, Incyte could receive future milestone payments and royalties on sales of products developed with Incyte technology and database information. Financial terms for both agreements were not disclosed. The combination of the ZooSeq and the LifeSeq Gold databases enable scientists to make comparisons between human and animal pathways, Incyte said.