News Flash:

The American Diabetes Association Announces the Commencement Of the Diabetes Research Forum with Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development.

The American Diabetes Association announced today commencement of the Diabetes Research Forum, a research initiative designed to help bring innovative diabetes therapies and diagnostics to the market. Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development, L.L.C. (JJPRD) will be the first major pharmaceutical participant in the Diabetes Research Forum.

The Diabetes Research Forum, based on a groundbreaking scientific collaboration between the Association and biotechnology firm Entelos, Inc., will use the Entelos Diabetes PhysioLab technology to generate novel theories, hypotheses and discoveries relating to type 2 diabetes. The PhysioLab technology is the preeminent biosimulation approach used by the pharmaceutical industry for drug discovery and development. The technology applies hypothesis-driven techniques to validate and prioritize targets, select lead candidates and optimize clinical trials. Entelos technology is designed to accelerate research efforts throughout the drug discovery and development pipeline.

As the first participant in the Diabetes Research Forum, JJPRD will have access to novel insights into diabetes generated by the collaboration between the Association and Entelos, as well as have access to the Entelos Diabetes PhysioLab technology for pharmaceutical and diagnostic discovery and development.

"The goal in this endeavor is to identify therapies that halt disease progression and ultimately cure diabetes," stated John Graham, CEO of the American Diabetes Association. "We recognize and commend Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development for its strong commitment and leadership to this effort. We believe the Forum will be the catalyst that brings breakthroughs in the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of this disease."

The Forum will continue for a minimum of three years. In addition to Entelos in silico scientists, cutting-edge biosimulation technology, and rights to novel research and intellectual property, Forum participants will have access to a state-of-the-art, high-performance compute platform -- the Diabetes BioCluster. Donated by Hewlett Packard, the Diabetes BioCluster is the largest integrated high-performance computing system in the world dedicated to a single disease. Further participant benefits include: the ability to influence the direction and scope of the diabetes PhysioLab technology, invitation to an annual Forum conference, and presentation of Forum-related research abstracts and papers in the Association's journal and at conferences.