Exelixis completes first gene function map of vertebrate

Scientists at Exelixis have for the first time functionally identifiedthe majority of essential genes involved in the structure and function of the heart, bone, cartilage, blood vessels and nervous system of a vertebrate, the zebrafish, a discovery that could one day lead to new drugs based on an understanding of those genes. The company's stock rose over 14% on the day of the announcement (June 6) to $17.16.

The so-called Tuebingen 2000 project was conducted by Exelixis' recently-acquired subsidiary, Artemis Pharmaceuticals, in collaboration with Germany's Max Planck Institute of Developmental Biology.

"Genomic sequencing and other classical genomics technologies have identified genes and proteins, and have established some aspects of their function," commented George Scangos, Exelixis' chief executive, referring to the recently-completed draft of the human genome. However, the Tuebingen project links genes, "for the first time, to an actual biological function like organ formation, or pathophysiological process such as cardiac arrhythmias."