Euroscreen Receives Exclusive GPCR License From Virginia

Euroscreen s.a. today announced an exclusive license agreement with The University of Virginia Patent Foundation (UVAPF) for psychosine (TDAG8) receptor technology that was developed at the University of Virginia.

BRUSSELS, Belgium.—December 20, 2001--Euroscreen s.a. today announced an exclusive license agreement with The University of Virginia Patent
Foundation (UVAPF) for psychosine (TDAG8) receptor technology that was developed at the University of Virginia.

Numerous lysophospholipids are thought to act as extra-cellular mediators in cell signaling through G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Earlier this year, researchers at the University of Virginia deorphanized a new G protein-coupled receptor, named TDAG8 (T cell Death Associated Gene protein# 8; GPR 65), which is a receptor for the glycosphingolipid, psychosine. In the lipid storage disorder known as Krabbe's disease psychosine accumulates to inordinately high levels. Krabbes disease is a genetic disorder characterized by multinuclear, globoid cells in the white matter of the brain and global de-myelination of central and peripheral neurons. It is plausible therefore that psychosine activation of TDAG8 in brain microglia might be the molecular basis underlying the patho-physiology of Krabbe's disease, a disease in which there is a lack of the production of galactosylceramidase, the enzyme which catalyzes the cleavage of psychosine to galactose and sphingosine. This invention should greatly facilitate the discovery and characterization of psychosine receptor agonists and antagonists, which may be of therapeutic value in a variety of diseases which involve this receptor and its natural ligand. Euroscreen has a research team seeking to identify such drug candidates, but is also willing to sublicense to significant research partners to assist in this effort.

Euroscreen integrates its world class G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)
research capabilities with its patented AequoScreen cellular assay
technology to provide new, innovative solutions to GPCR drug discovery. With its corporate partners as well as through its own internal development efforts Euroscreen continues to find important new drug leads and to improve its patent portfolio with the pivotal patent applications for the utility of CCR5 for HIV being an excellent example. The Company has corporate partnerships with Solvay, Merck & Co., Syngenta, Galapagos, Sosei and Nanosyn as well as licensing agreements with the Brussels University, the University of Virginia Patent Foundation and the University of Georgia Research Foundation. The Company applies its GPCR and ligand technology approaches to deorphanize specific targets and believes that its unique strategy increases the chances of successfully developing commercial products. More information about Euroscreen's products and services can be found at http://www.euroscreen.be.