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Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics and Galapagos Initiate Alliance to Discover Drug Targets

18 Apr 2005 - Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics, Inc. (CFFT), and Galapagos have initiated a two-year target discovery alliance. The organizations will apply Galapagos' adenoviral siRNA (SilenceSelect®) and cDNA (FLeXSelect®) collections and expertise in assay design to discover and validate novel drug targets for the development of new cystic fibrosis (CF) therapies. Galadeno, Galapagos' services unit, will perform the research in this collaboration. Under the terms of the agreement, Galapagos will receive EUR1.3 million from CFFT. In addition, Galapagos has the option to further develop the targets identified in its drug discovery programs.
 
"We are excited about this opportunity to apply our adenoviral collections and screening expertise to CFFT's target discovery program," said Onno van de Stolpe, CEO of Galapagos. "The fact that Galadeno has been selected by CFFT to assist them in their research program underlines the competitive edge of our technology in finding potential drug targets for various diseases."
 
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease affecting approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States alone. A defective gene causes the body to produce abnormally thick, sticky mucus that blocks the airways, leading to life-threatening lung infections, and that obstructs the pancreas, causing difficulty absorbing food. The median life expectancy of CF patients has improved from early childhood to the mid-30s today, but many individuals battle lung disease for years.