It was founded in 1961 by Orrie M. Friedman under the name Collaborative Research Inc.[1] Under the leadership of Helen Donis-Keller and using internal funds, the company produced one of the first linkage maps of the whole human genome in the mid-1980s.
In 1994, it produced the first commercial genome sequence,[2] that of Helicobacter pylori, the pathogen responsible for peptic ulcers.
The rights to the genome were sold to Astra AB of Sweden for $22 million and a similar deal struck with Schering-Plough.
[2] In addition to infectious agents, it also worked on heritable diseases including asthma.
[4] In 2004, Genome Therapeutics changed its name to Oscient Pharmaceuticals[5] and its sequencing division joined with Agencourt Bioscience.