Althea Technologies, Inc., announced the expansion of a collaboration with BiPar Sciences, Inc. to provide pharmacogenomic support for BiPar's drug development programmes in oncology.

Under terms of the agreement Althea Technologies will apply its innovative genomic technology and services to validate cancer biomarkers and predict clinical outcomes in BiPar's ongoing clinical trials.

BiPar is developing multiple compounds designed to inhibit PARP 1 (poly-ADP-ribose polymerase), an enzyme crucial to cell proliferation and repair. The company plans to begin phase II trials for its lead candidate BSI-201 later this year in three major types of cancer, a company press release said.

"Our Express Pathway program, which employs accepted platforms to fast track clinically useful biomarkers and associated proprietary technologies, will allow BiPar to uniquely personalize treatment with and optimize the effects of its PARP inhibitor drugs for cancer. Our goal at Althea, is to support development of novel therapeutics such as BSI-201 and corresponding diagnostic tests to combat cancer," said, Dr. François Ferré, president and Co-CEO, Althea.

BiPar Sciences Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing and commercializing a novel class of tumour-selective drugs designed to meet the significant unmet needs of cancer patients. The Company's lead product candidate is BSI-201, which is now in early-stage clinical testing for advanced malignancies. The company will be evaluating the potential of BSI-201 in multiple cancers and expects to file investigational new drug applications on as many as two additional cancer drug candidates in early 2008.

Althea Technologies, a leading San Diego-based pharmaceutical services firm, provides critical manufacturing and development services that support researchers worldwide in their advancement of novel therapies and efforts to apply new genomic information. Althea's services include cGMP contract manufacturing of recombinant proteins, DNA-based therapeutics and vaccines, aseptic filling, and gene quantification using real-time PCR and gene expression analysis under GLP conditions.