Genetics Institute: secreted proteins give a bumpy ride but a prosperous future?

Author: Thomas S.M.   Burke J.F.  

Publisher: Informa Healthcare

ISSN: 1354-3776

Source: Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Patents, Vol.7, Iss.1, 1997-01, pp. : 9-15

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Abstract

Genetics Institute, the US biotechnology company, was part of the first wave of biotechnology start-ups in the 1980s. Although it was a leading company in the development of important therapeutics such as tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and erythropoietin (EPO), the Company was unable to market these products in the US as a consequence of patent disputes with Amgen and Genentech. The Company now derives the majority of its income from sales of Factor VIII, EPO and t-PA in Europe and Japan. Its future lies in finding therapeutic applications for interleukins (ILs) and bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). A parallel strategy is in the licensing of its yeast secretion technology for the discovery of novel secreted proteins.