Gentris Corporation Announces Pharmacogenomics Collaboration with MDS Pharma Services
(Research Triangle Park, N.C., November 27, 2001) — Gentris Corporation, a clinical pharmacogenomics testing and diagnostic products company, has signed a collaboration agreement with MDS Pharma Services, a contract research organization, based in Montreal, Quebec, to establish a confidential database of genotyped volunteers and a repository for commercial development of diagnostic reference controls.
Gentris will genotype volunteers for important drug metabolism genes on behalf of MDS Pharma Services. The collaboration with MDS provides Gentris access to samples that will be immediately commercialized by the company and with collaborators, as validated reference controls to support pharmacogenomic diagnostics. MDS Pharma Services will have a database of genetically profiled volunteers in their Lincoln, Nebraska and Phoenix, Arizonia facilities, with predictable response to new pharmaceutical compounds, readily available for inclusion into clinical trials.
"Governmental agencies and the drug development community believe that new quality and regulatory standards will be implemented in the near term," said Michael P. Murphy, President and CEO of Gentris Corporation. "Gentris is positioning itself to be the leading provider of pharmacogenomic testing services and products for drug development companies, with the ultimate goal of becoming a diagnostic product developer of high quality, standardized solutions for clinical pharmacogenomic laboratories."
"We are pleased to enter into this collaboration with Gentris," said Dr. Jerry Merritt, Senior Vice President, Early Clinical Research, "as it allows us to provide genetically profiled volunteers for clinical trials we conduct for our customers."
About Gentris Corporation: Gentris Corporation is a pharmacogenomics company engaged in the development and rapid commercialization of innovative proprietary clinical pharmacogenomics products. Based in Research Triangle Park, N.C., Gentris provides pharmacogenomic testing services and products to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to support drug development efforts.
About MDS Pharma Services: MDS Pharma Services, part of MDS Inc. (TSE: MDS; NYSE: MDZ), one of the world’s largest contract research organizations, offers a full spectrum of resources to meet the drug discovery and development needs of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. With facilities in more than 18 countries, the company applies advanced scientific and technological expertise to each stage of the drug discovery and development process: discovery, preclinical, early clinical research (phases I-IIa), bioanalytical, global clinical research (phases IIb-IV), and central lab.
