VTT has signed a research agreement with Roche regarding studies of one of Roche’s cancer drugs. The research will be conducted by VTT’s researchers dedicated to medical biotechnology in Turku, Finland. It may lead to the development of novel drug combinations and/or to novel predictive biomarkers.

The work will utilize VTT’s unique capabilities, such as high-throughput screening, RNA interference, cell biology and bioinformatics. The contract is an important continuation of VTT’s strategy towards developing collaborations with the international pharmaceutical industry. It strengthens the aims of VTT to develop and market its core scientific and technology capabilities in the drug development process.

About VTT

VTT develops novel high-throughput methods for cancer research, drug discovery and diagnostics. The focus is in investigating mechanisms of cancer development and progression, identification of therapeutic targets and exploration of the mechanism of action of anti-cancer compounds.

There are 85 researchers and staff members working in VTT’s Medical Biotechnology Knowledge Centre in Turku. The research is funded e.g. by the European Commission and the Academy of Finland. VTT accommodates two EU Marie Curie Centre of Excellence teams and coordinates the Academy of Finland centre of excellence for translational genome-wide biology.

About Roche

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world’s leading research-focused healthcare groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As the world’s biggest biotech company and an innovator of products and services for the early detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, the Group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people’s health and quality of life.

Roche is the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics and drugs for cancer and transplantation, a market leader in virology and active in other major therapeutic areas such as autoimmune diseases, inflammation, metabolic disorders and diseases of the central nervous system. In 2006 sales by the Pharmaceuticals Division totaled 33.3 billion Swiss francs, and the Diagnostics Division posted sales of 8.7 billion Swiss francs. Roche has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous partners, including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai, and invests approximately 7 billion Swiss francs a year in R&D. Worldwide, the Group employs about 75,000 people. For further information, please visit www.roche.com .
 
Further information:

VTT, Harri Siitari, Technology Manager, tel. +358 20 722 2832, harri.siitari@vtt.fi

VTT, Professor Olli Kallioniemi, tel. +358 20 722 2800, olli.kallioniemi@vtt.fi