Microsoft buys gene-splicing software unit

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By Austin Modine, 2nd June 2009

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Microsoft is wading deeper into the health care industry today, announcing intentions to acquire Rosetta Biosoftware, a unit of Merck & Co. that makes software for analyzing genomes and conducting clinical studies.

Redmond intends to roll Rosetta's assets into the health industry research management software platform it debuted this April, Amalga Life Sciences.

The acquisition will let Microsoft incorporate genetic, genomic, metabolomic, and proteomics (fiddlin' with genes) data sets into Amalga software.

“The newly combined offering will enable customers to improve the management and analysis of genomic, biological and research data, helping to bring lifesaving drugs and therapies to market faster and accelerate the realization of personalized medicine," said Peter Neupert, veep of Microsoft's Health Solutions Group.

Under the deal, Merck has agreed to become a customer of the Amalga Life Sciences 2009 platform and will help Microsoft integrate Rosetta into the management platform.

Microsoft said it's "pursuing" hiring critical Rosetta Biosoftware employees at the moment, but didn't say how many of the 53 workers would make the switch. The deal is expected to close at the end of June 2009, with Rosetta-geared technology slated for availability in early 2010. ®

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Posted Tuesday 2nd June 2009 14:47 GMT

Martin Lyne

Re: Plant genes

You realise that everytime a farmer breeds plants to gain a specific trait he is taking it away from the base and "genetically modifying" it.

Monsanto are evil becuase of the crazy stuff they do to American dairy cows and their consumers to make more milk which, if memory serves, was in surplus at the time. New Zealand had a deficit and were buying in US surplus milk too.

Re: Article.

First gen crops, derivative but do the job.

Fourth gen crops, look a bit prettier, have a 40% larger footprint so less harvestable mass per-hectare.

Sixth gen crops have large, pretty flowers but the stems are so heavy they need to be held up with a weed bed beneath. Several flowers per hectare, insignificant crop yield.

Who'd buy Crops 7?

At least crops only last a year.. looking at IE6 here.

Posted Tuesday 2nd June 2009 14:06 GMT

Anonymous Coward