THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Feb. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Lexicon Genetics Incorporated announced today the appointment of James R. Piggott, Ph.D. as Senior Vice President of Pharmaceutical Biology. Dr. Piggott brings extensive drug discovery experience to Lexicon, including a focus on large-scale functional genomics using mutant mice to define the function and pharmaceutical applications of genes.

Before joining Lexicon, Dr. Piggott worked for nine years at ZymoGenetics, Inc., a subsidiary of Novo Nordisk, most recently as Senior Vice President - Research Biology. Dr. Piggott's pharmaceutical research experience also includes service at the Smith Kline & French Laboratories Ltd. unit of SmithKline Beecham plc and the G.D. Searle & Co. unit of Monsanto Company. Dr. Piggott received his B.A. and Ph.D. from Trinity College, Dublin.

Lexicon Genetics Incorporated (www.lexicon-genetics.com) is a pioneer in the design, development and application of high-throughput gene trapping and mutagenesis technologies for gene discovery and functional genomics. Lexicon employs its proprietary Human Gene Trap(TM) database, OmniBank(R) library of gene-trapped mouse clones and its Internet-based bioinformatics software in an integrated technology platform for drug discovery and drug target validation. Lexicon has an agreement with Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for access to the Human Gene Trap and OmniBank databases. Lexicon has commercial OmniBank alliances with The R.W. Johnson Pharmaceutical Research Institute, G.D. Searle & Co., N.V. Organon, ZymoGenetics/Novo Nordisk and DuPont Pharmaceuticals. Lexicon also provides access to a substantial portion of OmniBank through its www.lexgen.com genomics Internet exchange to subscribers at leading research institutions throughout the world. Lexicon Genetics Incorporated, founded in 1995, is a privately-held company based in The Woodlands, Texas, U.S.A.