Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Onyx Pharmaceuticals Collaborate on Proteome Project

Business Wire, August 7, 1997

RICHMOND, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--Aug. 7, 1997--Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:ONXX) have signed an agreement to collaborate on the development of a functional genomics system that includes automated high-throughput methods for the expression and purification of proteins.

This system will be applied to the majority of proteins expressed in humans (the human proteome).

Sequences from a majority of human genes have already been identified through the Human Genome Project. However, the function of nearly all of the genes identified to date remains to be determined. The primary goal in expressing, purifying and characterizing the components of the human proteome is to determine the function of the genes that encode the proteins, which is the logical next step in understanding the human genome.

Researchers at Onyx and the LLNL Genome Center expect the system to facilitate the identification of novel targets for therapeutic intervention. They also expect the system to reduce drug development time by providing a ready source of proteins for assay development and drug screening, and accelerating the tedious process of converting genes into proteins.

Initially, the researchers will work together to develop a method for converting segments of genes, in the form of cDNA clones, into purified proteins hundreds at a time. Then the next step will be to develop a broad range of high-throughput biochemical assays for functional characterization and drug discovery.

The comprehensive collection of proteins generated by the project will facilitate the identification and characterization of new therapeutic targets for Onyx's current drug screening programs, primarily focusing on those genes known to play a causal role in cancer. In addition, the protein collection will be an important asset to new discovery programs at Onyx.

In 1993, LLNL and three other academic institutions founded the I.M.A.G.E. consortium (Integrated Molecular Analysis of Genomes and their Expression) to promote the development of arrayed cDNA libraries. By now, the consortium has arrayed over 700,000 human cDNA clones, mostly within the last two years, and over 80 percent of all sequences in the public genetic sequence databases are derived from a partnership with Washington University using LLNL I.M.A.G.E. cDNA clones.

LLNL brings to the collaboration this preeminent collection of arrayed cDNA libraries, as well as expertise and infrastructure for the miniaturization and automation of biological sample handling. Onyx has developed expertise and reagents for expressing proteins using the baculovirus expression system and for purifying a wide variety of human proteins using a specialized method employing epitope tags. Onyx will also contribute extensive experience in biochemical analysis of protein interaction and pathways, providing a natural complement to LLNL's capabilities.

"The Genome Center at LLNL has consistently provided leadership and innovation for the Human Genome Project," said Allan Balmain, Ph.D., vice president of research at Onyx. "Their proven capabilities, combined with our strength in protein expression and characterization have created a powerful synergy, which will become a valuable resource for determining the function of genes."

The Onyx/LLNL collaboration is funded under the Biotechnology Strategic Targets for Alliances in Research (BioSTAR) project, designed to promote research partnerships between state universities and California businesses. The two-year collaboration is the first at LLNL to be funded under the BioSTAR project, which provides for university matching of private sector funding for biotechnology research.

"By opening up a new avenue for collaboration with industry, BioSTAR allows LLNL to put its expertise in biotechnology to work on yet another front in the fight against cancer," said Jeff Wadsworth, deputy director for Science and Technology at LLNL.

The principal investigators in the collaboration are Robin Clark, Ph.D. and Anthony Davies, Ph.D. of Onyx, and Greg Lennon, Ph.D. and Joanna Albala, Ph.D. of LLNL.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is managed by the University of California for the United States Department of Energy.

Onyx Pharmaceuticals was founded in 1992 for the purpose of discovering and developing novel therapeutics based upon the genetics of human disease, with an emphasis on cancer. The company focuses on defining the function of certain mutated genes which are known to cause cancer, and on developing innovative therapies to reverse the effects of the mutation or to kill the cancer cell. Onyx pursues a strategy of establishing corporate partnerships that provide complementary skills in chemistry, drug development, and marketing and sales.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements with regard to the development of potential human therapeutic products that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events may differ from the company's expectations. In addition to the matters described in this press release, the timeline for clinical activity, results of pending or future clinical trials, and changes in the status of the company's collaborative relationships, as well as the risk factors listed from time to time in the company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to its Annual Report on Form 10-K, may affect the actual results achieved by the company.