Since the completion of the human genome sequence in the early 2000s, the scientific community has had available for study the full set of genetic instructions that make a
Approximately 20,000 genes code for proteins. While many of these genes and their related proteins have known functions in human biology and have served as the basis for important medicines, the promise of mapping the human genome has yet to be realized because the functions of thousands of genes remain a mystery.
Determining human gene function cannot easily be learned directly from people. In contrast, our close mammalian cousin, the mouse, is a well-established experimental organism with a wealth of available genetic technologies, including a complete genome sequence. Discovering a mouse gene’s function is directly applicable to understanding its human counterpart.
Regeneron long ago recognized the value of mouse genetics for target discovery, and today our proprietary VelociSuite® of technologies is the core platform for our target discovery and validation programs.