Overview

Formed in 1997 after Genzyme Corp. acquired PharmaGenics, Genzyme Molecular Oncology (GMO) combines its proprietary functional genomics and antigen-discovery technology platforms to develop novel cancer therapeutics from research focused on cancer vaccines, angiogenesis inhibitors and cancer pathways. GMO receives revenue primarily from research partnerships, licensing agreements and milestone payments.

The company’s premier technology is Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE), a high-efficiency, high-throughput, patented method of simultaneously detecting and measuring the expression levels of virtually all genes expressed in a cell at a given time. SAGE can be used to identify disease-related genes, analyze the effect of drugs on tissues, and provide insight into disease pathways. The company also has created a combinatorial chemistry-generated library that is the focus of a number of screening agreements.

In March 2001, GMO out-licensed its colon cancer diagnostic patent rights for the APC and/or MSH2 genes to Quest Diagnostics Inc., of Teterboro, N.J.; Mayo Medical Laboratories, of Rochester, Minn.; and SRL Inc. of Tokyo.

Partners

In November 2001, GMO entered into a multimillion-dollar collaboration with Kirin Brewery Co. Ltd. to commercialize fully human monoclonal antibodies as anti-angiogenic therapies and vascular targeted cancer drug delivery therapies. GMO’s tumor endothelial markers will serve as targets.

Genzyme Molecular Oncology has formed more than two dozen commercial and academic collaborations since its inception. Commercial collaborators include Schering-Plough Corp., Merck & Co. Inc., Isis/Zeneca, Hybridon/Searle, the Parke-Davis Research Division of Warner-Lambert Co., Bayer Corp., Monsanto and Novartis AG. Its academic collaborators include the National Cancer Institute, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Ludwig Cancer Research Institute, Johns Hopkins University and The Children’s Hospital Medical Center.