UK biotech firm a step closer to getting access to Sardinian genetic treasure trove
London — A UK biotech company that hopes to study genetic data of residents from an isolated part of Sardinia — known for having an unusually large number of people who live past 100 — said it cleared a major legal hurdle last month. Tiziana Life Sciences expects the victory in Italy to pave the way as it looks for clues about ageing and a range of disorders, from a disease known as dry eye to a form of baldness. The company last year purchased the data of almost 13,000 residents in Sardinia from Shardna, a genomics research company, for €258,000. "This is a turning point," said Gabriele Cerrone, Tiziana’s founder. The potential "treasure trove" could aid in developing new drugs and help determine whether to proceed with therapies already under development, he said. The project comes as pharmaceutical companies and scientists globally pursue genetic information that could lead to new and cutting-edge therapies and move to take advantage of declining gene-sequencing costs. Amgen, the...
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