Transgenics

The AstraZeneca Transgenic & Comparative Genomics centre, based in  Sweden, has the remit to generate and analyse transgenic models for the benefit of AstraZeneca discovery projects worldwide.

Transgenic technology has been shown to have a broad utility over the discovery process, influencing decisions and confidence about target and compound quality, and potentially impacting on the success of clinical trials.

The utility of transgenic techniques in understanding the role of specific targets in disease is well exemplified by many AstraZeneca projects. For example, testing compounds in models lacking the target for the specific compound has proven very useful in discriminating between chemistry- and mechanism-related side effects. Another powerful application is in the generation of models in which the efficacy of lead compounds can be tested.