Icoria to Conduct Biomarker Study for Isis Pharmaceuticals
August 23 2005 - 2:30PM
PR Newswire (US)
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Aug. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Biotechnology company Icoria, Inc. (OCTBB: ICOR.OB) today announced
that it has signed an agreement with Isis Pharmaceuticals to
identify biomarkers of toxicity in animal models. Icoria will use
its metabolomics platform to characterize differences in
biochemical profiles between treated and untreated animal subjects
and to identify those biochemicals that are specifically affected
by treatment. Isis can use this information to suggest pathways
that may be altered by future drug candidates. Metabolomics, or
biochemical profiling, uses mass spectrometry to measure net
changes in the level of the body's endogenous biochemicals, such as
amino acids, sugars and fatty acids, and provides a means of
evaluating drug action and disease state. When combined with
proprietary software developed by Icoria, this technology enables
Icoria to construct biomarkers that can detect toxicity or the
therapeutic effects of drugs. Drug development companies such as
Isis can use this data to infer pathway-based mechanisms of drug
action and patient response, and to assess drug safety. Financial
details of the agreement were not disclosed, however, it is not
expected to significantly impact the company's recently released
financial statements. About Icoria Icoria, Inc. is a biotechnology
company focused on the discovery of novel, multi-parameter
biomarkers using its unique multi-platform approach. Icoria intends
to use these future biomarkers internally to develop multi-analyte
diagnostics to define and grade pathology or disease state with a
high level of specificity and sensitivity, and use its technology
to help collaborators and customers develop better, safer drugs and
diagnostics and to identify targets, leads and drug/diagnostic
combinations for liver injury, metabolic disorders and cancer.
Icoria's shares trade on the over the counter bulletin board. This
press release contains forward-looking statements including, but
not limited to, the Company's expectations for its healthcare based
business model and its biomarker discovery platform. Such
forward-looking statements are based on management's current
expectations and are subject to a number of risks, factors and
uncertainties that may cause actual results, events and performance
to differ materially from those referred to in the forward-looking
statements. These risks, factors and uncertainties include, but are
not limited to, Icoria's ability to identify biomarkers, early
stage of development, history of net losses, technological and
product development uncertainties, reliance on research
collaborations, uncertainty of additional funding and ability to
protect its patents and proprietary rights. Certain of these and
other risks are identified in Icoria's Quarterly Reports on Form
10-Q for the periods ended June 30, 2005, March 31, 2005, as
amended, and its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2004, all as filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. The Company does not intend to update any of the
forward-looking statements after the date of this release to
conform these statements to actual results or to changes in our
expectations, except as may be required by law. DATASOURCE: Icoria,
Inc. CONTACT: Media - Public Relations of Icoria, Inc.,
+1-919-425-2999 Web site: http://www.icoria.com/
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