ASTRAZENECA EXPANDS ACCESS TO INCYTE DATABASES AND BECOMES THE FIRST SUBSCRIBER TO INCYTE's LIFEEXPRESS RNA AND PROTEIN EXPRESSION DATABASE PROGRAM

The expanded agreement between Incyte and AstraZeneca provides AstraZeneca with access to Incyte's LifeSeq® Gold assembled database, ZooSeq™ animal model database and broad access to Incyte's bioinformatics tools and software. Incyte's LifeExpress™ databases will contain the expression patterns of more than 100,000 genes that have been identified in Incyte's commercial databases. The LifeExpress™ databases are the first large-scale databases of their kind to combine both RNA and protein expression information from the same biological samples. Financial terms were not disclosed.

LifeSeq® Gold provides a comprehensive view of the human genome. It integrates EST, full-length and genomic sequence information, as well as mapping data. LifeSeq® Gold contains over 100,000 genes including 50,000 novel genes not available anywhere else, and is comprised of more than 5 million sequences from nearly 1,000 different tissue libraries, representing an estimated 90 per cent of all human genes. The genomic information, cDNA clones and bioinformatics tools contained in LifeSeq® Gold will enable AstraZeneca researchers to manage the growing complexity of data related to the human genome and apply it to drug discovery and development.

LifeExpress™ is a second-generation product which benefits from Incyte's market-leading gene sequence databases. Incyte will design the databases to incorporate RNA expression information from multiple technologies, and will utilize its partnership with Oxford GlycoSciences to provide high-throughput protein expression analysis. Incyte's comprehensive collection of genes obtained from the LifeSeq® Gold database and the ZooSeq™ animal model database will be used to obtain expression data for inclusion into the LifeExpress™ product suite. This integration of RNA and protein expression data will enable AstraZeneca scientists to investigate the role individual genes play in disease.

The LifeExpress™ product suite will initially contain two databases. One will be used for target discovery to help identify the proteins and cellular processes involved in diseases that are potential targets for drugs. The second will be used to help optimize the best candidate drugs during the research and development phase.

"This Agreement is a further demonstration of AstraZeneca's commitment to the use of genomic technologies and genetics in its drug discovery and development activities,” said Dr. Graham Boulnois, Head of Global Enabling Science and Technology at AstraZeneca. "It builds upon the excellent relationship established with Incyte through our earlier Agreement, and now provides a comprehensive set of genomic databases and bioinformatic tools available throughout AstraZeneca Global Discovery.”

"AstraZeneca is delighted to have an early opportunity to work with Incyte's new LifeExpress expression databases,” added Dr Boulnois. "This is a fast moving area and AstraZeneca is committed to exploiting innovative technology in support of its programmes.”

"Through our previous agreement, Zeneca were pioneering in their early contribution to the development of Incyte's gene sequence databases, and we are pleased that AstraZeneca will assume a similar role in the development of Incyte's next generation expression databases,” said Roy A. Whitfield, Chief Executive Officer of Incyte. "We are excited to be continuing our relationship with AstraZeneca by providing their researchers with the most comprehensive set of human genomic information, including new expression databases which represent the next wave of genomic data to impact pharmaceutical research.”