Functional genomics and target validation approaches using antisense oligonucleotide technology.

The recent increase in the amount and rate of accumulation of genomic information has created new challenges for the pharmaceutical industry. These include how best to rapidly and efficiently identify key genes responsible for complex disease phenotypes and how to use this information to develop new and specific classes of drugs. Antisense technology offers a powerful approach to identify novel cellular networks and signaling "cassettes" and provides a method to validate genes in vivo as attractive drug targets.