Overview

Genset SA, of Paris, was founded in 1989 and has the distinction of being the first biotechnology company in France to go public on both sides of the Atlantic simultaneously. It has wholly owned subsidiaries in the United States and Japan, and majority-owned subsidiaries in Singapore, Australia and Ireland.

Genset focuses on generating a pipeline of drug candidates in the areas of central nervous system and metabolic disorders. It has used its integrated technology platform and association studies approach to identify and characterize drug targets and drug response markers in the fields of CNS, metabolic and other diseases through alliances.

Genset in February 2001 launched Genset Pharma, a new project in its strategy to shift away from genomics research toward its own drug discovery and drug development programs.

In February 2000, Genset launched its subsidiary, Genset Pacific Pty. Ltd. Genset announced in January 2000 the acquisition of a majority equity stake in Pacific Oligos Pty. Ltd., of Australia, an Australian custom oligonucleotide synthesis company.

In 1998, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Genset established joint research facilities in Dublin. Named Surgen, the 50-50 joint venture is performing a human genomics study in the field of cardiovascular diseases.

Partners

Multiyear subscription agreement for access to Celera’s databases through the web-based Celera Discovery System: Celera Genomics Inc.

Other current partners include Algène Biotechnologies Corp., Ceres Inc., Corixa Corp., the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, French Atomic Energy Commission, John Hopkins University Medical School, the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Abbott Laboratories Inc., Genetics Institute Inc. (a subsidiary of American Home Products Corp.), Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Pharmacia Corp., Sanofi-Synthélabo and Wyeth-Lederle.