Project Data Statement for the Smallpox Research Project

The Smallpox Research Project ("Project") will attempt to analyze approximately 35 million molecules against a series of protein targets related to smallpox. This Project is made possible through the support of several Partner Organizations who have made various contributions to this effort. The Partner Organizations include: Accelrys, Evotec OAI, IBM, Oxford University, United Devices, and numerous scientific researchers led by Dr. Grant McFadden and Dr. Stewart Shuman.

• Accelrys will contribute the LigandFit virtual screening software;
  
• Evotec will provide the modeling expertise;
  
• Oxford University, assisted by researchers at Essex University, will prepare the proteins for use with LigandFit and has contributed the large molecular library;
  
• United Devices will provide the grid computing software called the MetaProcessor and has coordinated all aspects of the Project. It has contracted with PC owners for the use of their idle computing time; and
  
• IBM Corporation is providing the infrastructure technology (high-performance computing and data management software) that will be used for the Project, as well as funding and marketing support to assist in the Project's launch.

The hope is that a combination of the above efforts will help identify the most promising drug-like molecular candidates that could be effective in combating smallpox.

The resulting data ("Results Data"), produced as a result of the Project will consist of a list of "hits" and their relative score. When a molecule docks successfully with a protein, it registers as a hit and is scored or ranked for strength of interaction. By binding to the particular site the drug candidate would disable the virus. The ranked list of hits will be provided to the U.S. Department of Defense, who has contracted with United Devices for this Project through the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases and potentially other allied governments (e.g., UK government, Canadian government) as directed by the US government, so that they also can take the "hits" and further process and develop them to help combat the use of smallpox as a bioterrorist threat or military weapon. It is essential that in blocking the action of smallpox the related human enzyme is not affected so the binding to that human target will also be tested.

Each Partner Organization has separately agreed that it has no rights to the Results Data.

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