Open Competition 1 - Information Technology

Cost-Effective Detection of Efficacious and Non-Toxic Drug Targets via Breakthrough in Silico Methods

Sponsor: Gene Network Sciences, Inc.

• Project Performance Period: 11/1/2002 - 10/31/2005
• Total project (est.): $3,349,763.15
• Requested ATP funds: $2,000,000.00

Despite the profusion of biological data being generated on potential targets within the human body for new therapeutic drugs, little is known about how these targets fit into the complex biochemical circuitry of cells. It, therefore, remains difficult to validate targets for effective, non-toxic drugs. In fact, the vast majority of new drug candidates fail toxicity studies. Gene Network Sciences (GNS) plans a three-year project to leverage the huge quantities of new data by developing and validating software that creates dynamic, predictive simulations of normal and cancerous cells as a means of rapidly identifying non-toxic drug targets. Using the company's existing 500-component cell model and simulation tools as a basis, GNS will simulate entire detailed models of cells incorporating up to 2,000 interacting components. The simulations will predict not only the efficacy of drug compounds acting on a particular target but also any toxic side effects. In addition to developing simulation algorithms and models of biological pathways, GNS will use data on colon cancer cells and experiments to define the simulation parameters. The company will demonstrate use of the software by generating two drug targets that trigger pathways selectively killing colon cancer cells. The ATP funding, which will accelerate the research by two to three years, is needed because the project is high risk and because bioinformatics tool companies have not yet proven to be profitable. If successfully developed, the new software will enable researchers to more quickly identify drug targets with higher efficacy and lower probability of failure than is currently possible. The company predicts a cost savings of 20-25 percent -- tens of millions of dollars -- and a time savings of 3.5 years in taking a new drug to market. The project also will increase understanding of the mechanisms of drug action and reduce the number of animals used in drug testing. The public will further benefit because the probability of drug recalls will be reduced, enhancing public safety and increasing trust in biotechnology products.

For project information:

Debbie Pfiefer, (206) 282-5098
debbie@gnsbiotech.com

ATP Project Manager

Barbara Cuthill, (301) 975-3273
barbara.cuthill@nist.gov