OBBeC.com

Santa Clara, CA (OBBeC) - Affymetrix has announced that a team of researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany is using its Whole Transcript (WT) gene expression technology to better understand the molecular basis of drug-induced liver injury (DILI). The ultimate goal of the project is to develop a diagnostic array that can detect signals of liver toxicity earlier and more accurately than traditional techniques.

The studuy is being led by Professor Juergen Borlak, director, Fraunhofer Institute of Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (ITEM) and head of the Institute of Pharmaco- and Toxicogenomics at the Hannover Medical School (MHH).

Professor Borlak's team is using the Affymetrix Exon and Gene Arrays to analyze the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of DILI. The technology enables researchers to survey both gene- and exon-level expression, as well as alternative splicing patterns on the whole-genome scale.

Applying genomic sciences to toxicology can dramatically improve drug safety, said Dr. Borlak. The Affymetrix WT technology enables us to see the real biology to better identify susceptible genes and potential gene targets for novel pharmacotherapeutic treatments.

Initial data from the study cohort is expected to be published by the fall of 2008. After clinical evaluation, the Fraunhofer Institute hopes to launch its diagnostic tool in the spring of 2009.