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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
______________
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
______________
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 13, 2000
CuraGen Corporation
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 0-23223 06-1331400
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(State or other (Commission (IRS Employer
jurisdiction of File Number) Identification No.)
incorporation)
555 Long Wharf Drive, 11th Floor
New Haven, Connecticut 06511
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (203) 401-3330
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ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS.
On April 13, 2000, CuraGen Corporation announced the renewal of its drug
research collaboration with Genentech, Inc. for a minimum of an additional two
and one-half years. The collaboration, which began in 1997, involves the
application of CuraGen's high-throughput functional genomic technologies and
disease expertise to advance the discovery of novel protein therapeutics and
antibodies. The information contained in such press release is incorporated
herein by reference and filed as Exhibit 99.1 hereto.
ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
(c) Exhibits.
99.1 The Registrant's Press Release dated April 13, 2000.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
CURAGEN CORPORATION
(Registrant)
Date: April 14, 2000 By: /s/ Jonathan M. Rothberg
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Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the
Board of Directors and President
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EXHIBIT INDEX
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Exhibit Sequential
Number Description Page Number
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99.1 The Registrant's Press Release 5
dated April 13, 2000.
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Exhibit 99.1
Press Release of the Registrant
CURAGEN AND GENENTECH EXTEND BROAD-BASED DRUG DISCOVERY COLLABORATION
CURAGEN RECEIVES PAYMENT TO REVISE AND EXTEND COLLABORATION AGREEMENT
Contact:
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Mark R. Vincent
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Director, Corporate Communications
[email protected]
CuraGen Corporation
1-888-GENOMICS
www.curagen.com
NEW HAVEN, CT AND SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 13, 2000 - CuraGen Corporation
(Nasdaq: CRGN), an integrated genomics based drug discovery and development
company, and Genentech, Inc. (NYSE: DNA), today announced the renewal of their
drug research collaboration for a minimum of an additional two and one-half
years. The collaboration, which began in 1997, involves the application of
CuraGen's high-throughput functional genomic technologies and disease expertise
to advance the discovery of novel protein therapeutics and antibodies.
CuraGen will receive research funding payments from Genentech for the
collaborative discovery of genes that represent potential drugs, drug targets,
and clinical markers. Under the terms of this extension, Genentech will pay
CuraGen research fees for access to CuraGen's functional genomic technologies
and databases. In return, Genentech will retain the rights to license, develop,
and market therapeutics derived from these research efforts. CuraGen will also
receive milestone and royalty payments based upon the development and sales of
products that result from this collaboration. Financial terms of this deal were
not disclosed.
"We are optimistic about the potential of this collaboration and are looking
forward to making additional significant progress in our joint drug discovery
efforts," said Dennis J. Henner, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Research for
Genentech, Inc.
"We are excited by this expansion and by the opportunity to continue advancing
our achievements with Genentech. Since the inception of this collaboration,
CuraGen has delivered a number of genes and potential protein drug and drug
target candidates that may lead to new therapeutics," stated Jonathan M.
Rothberg, Ph.D., Founder, Chairman, and CEO of CuraGen Corporation. Recent
publications highlighting results of this collaboration include a manuscript
outlining the discovery of a murine chemokine that regulates the proliferation
of red blood cells, which appeared in the February edition of the journal
Immunity. A second manuscript was published in the April edition of The Journal
of Biological Chemistry that discusses discoveries made surrounding the hormone
leptin and its role in obesity.
Genentech is the second partner to expand its collaboration with CuraGen this
year. In March, COR Therapeutics expanded its agreement with CuraGen to utilize
CuraGen's PathCalling(TM) proteomics technology and bioinformatics systems to
create an annotated database of protein-protein interactions within disease
pathways, which are derived from cardiovascular endothelial cells.
About Genentech, Inc.
Genentech, Inc. is a leading biotechnology company that discovers, develops,
manufactures and markets human pharmaceuticals for significant unmet medical
needs. Thirteen of the approved products of biotechnology stem from Genentech
science. Genentech markets seven products directly in the United States. The
company has headquarters in South San Francisco, California and is traded on the
New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DNA.
About CuraGen Corporation
CuraGen Corporation is advancing the discovery and development of pharmaceutical
and life science products through the systematic application of genomics.
CuraGen's fully integrated, Internet-based functional genomic technologies,
services, and information systems are designed to rapidly generate comprehensive
information about genes, human genetic variations, gene expression, protein
pathways, and potential products that affect these pathways. The Company is
applying these functional genomic technologies to develop protein drugs,
antibody drugs, and small molecule drug targets. CuraGen's research
collaborators include Abgenix, Biogen, COR Therapeutics, Gemini, Genentech,
Glaxo Wellcome, Hoffmann-La Roche, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, and Roche
Vitamins. CuraGen employs over 300 people and is headquartered in New Haven, CT.
Additional Company information is available at http://www.curagen.com.
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This release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to certain
risks and uncertainties, including CuraGen's ability to successfully enhance and
develop its technologies. Such statements are based on management's current
expectations and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-
looking statements. The Company cautions investors that there can be no
assurance that actual results or business conditions will not differ materially
from those projected or suggested in such forward-looking statements as a result
of various factors, including, but not limited to, the following: the Company's
early stage of development, technological uncertainty and product development
risks, uncertainty of additional funding, reliance on research collaborations,
competition, the Company's ability to protect its patents and proprietary rights
and uncertainties relating to commercialization rights.
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