Bill Gates and Paul Allen say they backed Darwin Molecular Corp, Bothell, Washington biotechnology firm with $10m (CI No 2,410) because of several personal connections, including molecular evolution work done by Dr Leroy Hood, a professor at the University of Washington who holds a chair endowed by Gates: Darwin plans to develop treatments for AIDS, cancer and multiple sclerosis through computer analysis of DNA sequence information – computers are essential to rapid analysis of the large masses of DNA sequence data and to the molecular design of new drugs, both key components of Darwin’s integrated drug discovery strategy; it will go from 10 to as many as 50 employees by year-end.
