Genstruct Inc has entered into an agreement with Berlex Inc, a US affiliate of Schering AG, Germany, to characterize the regulatory mechanisms for breast cancer. The aim is to uncover the causal mechanisms for the initiation of breast cancer to better understand the genes, proteins and metabolites that play crucial roles in the development of this disease.

Genstruct will collaborate with Berlex's oncology team to identify mechanisms of action for breast carcinoma. To define the molecular causes of breast carcinoma, Genstruct will utilize its Molecular Epistemics discovery platform to customize its Oncology Knowledge Assembly model for breast cancer, and to interrogate this model using computer-aided causal reasoning.

"This is a great opportunity for us to apply our Oncology Knowledge Assembly models to the causal analysis of breast cancer," Keith O Elliston, president and CEO of Genstruct said adding, "We are pleased to collaborate with a leading diagnostic and therapeutic company like Berlex and believe that this project has great potential."

"Working with Genstruct adds the newest technology to our scientific teams' search for the answer to what is driving breast cancer cells to grow - going beyond data mining, high throughput screening and other technologies that have helped the biopharmaceutical industry more rapidly identify therapeutic targets," says Harald Dinter, scientific director of oncology research, Berlex. "Now we will work with Genstruct to define the cascade of molecular actions that lead to the onset and advancement of breast cancer and validate Genstruct's model of breast cancer through molecular tests in our laboratories. As a company that specializes in both oncology and women's healthcare, we at Berlex hope this collaboration will lead to new therapies that impact the disease earlier in its course," he added.

Genstruct's Oncology Team recently presented results from its independent research in the area of prostate carcinoma at IBC Life Sciences' 9th Annual Drug Discovery Technology (DDT) World Congress. The presentation at DDT, which described both probable molecular causes and mechanisms involved in androgen-dependent prostate carcinoma, won third place in the scientific poster competition.