PRINCETON, NJ--Bristol-Myers Squibb here has signed a licensing agreement with Waltham, Mass., based Genome Therapeutics that gives the pharmaceutical giant access to the proprietary Patho Genome microbial sequence database. The alliance will expand Squibb's initiatives in applied genomics.
Squibb will gain nonexclusive access to the PathoGenome information in exchange for annual subscription fees, milestone payments, and royalty payments on any small molecules developed as a result of the partnership. Genome Therapeutics retains rights associated with the therapeutic, diagnostic, and vaccine use of bacterial genes or gene products.
"This alliance will significantly enhance our internal efforts in the important area of infectious diseases," observed Peter Ringrose, president of Squibb's Pharmaceu tical Research Institute. Robert Hennessey, Genome Therapeutics' president, chairman, and CEO, added, "Bristol-Myers Squibb has taken aggressive steps to incorporate human genomic sequence information into its research programs. We consider this agreement, in the pathogen arena, a significant validation of the comprehensive microbial genomic information available in our PathoGenome database." PathoGenome uses proprietary bioinformatics software to create a research tool that offers sequence information from both public-domain sources and from Genome Therapeutics' own research.