Overview

CuraGen Corp. is combining engineering principles with biology and information technology to discover and develop genomics-based biopharmaceutical products. CuraGen’s scientists focus on developing protein, antibody and small-molecule therapeutics to treat unmet medical needs, including obesity and diabetes, cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, and central nervous system disorders.

The company has a business plan of leveraging its genomics platform and Internet portal, adding value to collaborators’ drug development efforts, and retaining ownership of its pipeline of biopharmaceutical products.

CuraGen combines genomics knowledge and integrated, industrialized technologies to discover genes, determine their function and categorize them as potential protein drugs, antibody targets and small-molecule drug targets. CuraGen has developed integrated functional genomics technologies and combined these with disease programs to understand how genes and their related proteins function in the context of disease.

Partners

CuraGen began 2001 by signing what it called two “landmark” deals, packaged together, with Bayer AG, of Leverkusen, Germany. The first centered on discovering, developing and jointly commercializing small-molecule drugs to treat obesity and adult-onset diabetes, and the second on applying CuraGen’s functional genomics technologies and pharmacogenomic experience to Bayer’s developmental and preclinical pipeline across all disease areas.

Bayer and CuraGen committed to bringing 12 candidates in obesity and diabetes to development and both will fund research, development and commercialization activities up to $1.34 billion over a 15-year period. The pharmacogenomic and toxicogenomic collaboration is an expandable, five-year deal that is valued at $124 million and includes an $85 million equity investment in CuraGen by Bayer and $39 million in committed funding to CuraGen.

CuraGen also has formed strategic alliances with Abgenix Inc. and Gemini Genomics plc. Other partners include Biogen Inc., COR Therapeutics Inc., Dupont/Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Genentech Inc., GlaxoSmithKline plc, Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Ono Pharmaceuticals Inc., Monsanto Corp. and Roche Vitamins.