US codecrackers target new drugs

Craig Venter, Celera's chief scientist

By BBC Science Correspondent Pallab Ghosh

The private US company that sequenced the human genome has announced how it plans to use the information to design drugs and find new treatments for diseases.

We're going to look for all the genetic variation that we can find in 40 or 50 people around every single one of their genes

Tony White, Applera Corporation

Applera Corporation, Celera's parent company, says it will invest $73m to discover the genetic differences between individuals that make some more vulnerable to disease.

Applera is not the only company involved in this kind of research. A consortium of 10 drug companies began searching for such genetic differences two years ago.

But chief executive Tony White claims its effort is significantly bigger and should accelerate the eventual development of new medicines.

Commercial effort

The corporation will begin by comparing the DNA of up to 50 individuals - and searching for differences.

"We're going to look for all the genetic variation that we can find in 40 or 50 people around every single one of their genes," Mr White said in an interview with BBC Radio 4's PM programme. "Now that we have the map of the human genome, we can do that."

He said it was a commercial effort aimed at producing healthcare products.

"We're going to make diagnostic products and kits which will be for sale," he added. "And ultimately, Celera will use this in its drug development programme."

Human blueprint

Human DNA contains all the information needed to build a person.

Every person on Earth shares 99.99% of the same genetic code with all other people.

The biological difference between individuals amounts to a fraction of the three billion letters in the human genetic code.

But it could explain why some people are more likely to suffer from diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart attacks.