Euroscreen Announces European Patent on Human P2Y4 Receptor

Euroscreen SA today announced that it was awarded a European patent that covers the use of a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) known as the human P2Y4 receptor. Euroscreens patent protects the sequence of P2Y4 receptor and the screening process using this receptor to find compounds that modulate its activity, and thus has significant pharmaceutical potential.

Brussels, Belgium (PRWEB) June 30, 2004 -- Euroscreen SA today announced that it was awarded a European patent that covers the use of a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) known as the human P2Y4 receptor. Euroscreens patent protects the sequence of P2Y4 receptor and the screening process using this receptor to find compounds that modulate its activity, and thus has significant pharmaceutical potential.

The P2Y4 receptor was cloned and characterized by Didier Communi in the team of Professor Jean-Marie Boeynaems at the Institute of Interdisciplinary Research (IRIBHM) of the Université Libre de Bruxelles. Using the knockout mice deficient in P2Y4 receptor generated by Bernard Robaye in the same group, has recently shown that this receptor plays a key role in the chloride secretory response to nucleotides in the epithelium of jejunum and colon. Therefore P2Y4 agonists might be of value to treat the gastrointestinal complications of cystic fibrosis. In addition, since enteropathogenic bacteria induce the release of nucleotides, a P2Y4 antagonist might be effective in the treatment of infectious diarrhea.

Commenting on the announcement, Pierre Nokin, President and CEO of Euroscreen, said: "This new European patent represents a significant addition to our growing portfolio of validated disease-related receptors. It will enable Euroscreen to generate revenues from companies wishing to use the human P2Y4 receptor in their search for innovative drugs, in the form of licence fees and milestones in the short term, and royalties on sales of any products generated in the longer term."

The European patent (0 862 628) relates in particular to DNA and amino acid sequences of P2Y4 receptor, vectors comprising the DNA sequence, cells comprising the vector, antibodies and screening methods to single out compounds that modulate the biological activity of the P2Y4 receptor as well as diagnostic methods using P2Y4

Euroscreen is awaiting the issuance of equivalent patent claims in US, Japan and Canada.

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For further information, please contact:
Euroscreen SA                   
Pierre Nokin, Ph.D.               
President and CEO                
Tel: +32 71 348 500               

Professor Marc Parmentier
CSO
Tel: +32 2 555 4171

Vincent Lannoy, Ph.D.
Intellectual Property Manager
Tel: +32 71 348 514

About Euroscreen SA
Euroscreen is a world leader in G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). The Company integrates its research expertise in this area with its patented high-throughput AequoScreen cellular assay platform to patent new GPCR targets and drug candidates.

The Company is building its own patent portfolio of GPCR targets and novel drug leads for licensing to biopharmaceutical companies, and to date has agreements with CyBio, Galapagos Genomics, ICOS, Merck & Co, Pfizer Inc, Solvay, Syngenta, UCB and Evotec OAI. Euroscreen has also established collaborations with numerous academic centers for access to licenses to help in making available its broad menu of GPCR-based products (recombinant cell lines and membrane preparations) and services (custom screening and cloning).

Euroscreen is a privately held company based in Brussels, Belgium. The Company was spun out of the University of Brussels in 1994 by Professors Jacques Dumont, Marc Parmentier and Gilbert Vassart and has since raised more than €8m in equity funding and grants. Euroscreen currently has 80 employees of which 50 are in R&D.

More information can be found at www.euroscreen.be