Euroscreen Receives Key US Patent For Purinergic Receptor

Euroscreen SA today announced that it was awarded a US 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) September 14, 2004 -- Euroscreen SA today announced that it was awarded a US 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 US 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 US patent (6,790,626) relates in particular to DNA and amino acid sequences of P2Y4 receptor, vectors comprising the DNA sequence, cells comprising the vector and screening methods to single out compounds that modulate the biological activity of the P2Y4 receptor.

In addition to the above-mentioned US patent, Euroscreen has already obtained the corresponding European patent 0 862 628, and is awaiting the issuance of equivalent patent claims in Japan and Canada.

For further information, please contact:

Euroscreen s.a.   Tel: +32 71 348 500
                           
Fax +32 71 348 519         

Pierre Nokin, Ph.D.               
President and CEO                
               
Vincent Lannoy, Ph.D.
Intellectual Property Manager

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 high-throughput AequoScreen cellular assay platform to discover new GPCR targets and drug candidates.

The Company is building its partnerships with biopharmaceutical companies, and to date has agreements with CyBio, EvotecOAI, Galapagos Genomics, GE Healthcare, ICOS, Merck & Co, Pfizer Inc, Solvay, Syngenta and UCB. 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 has grown significant and strong patent positions to protect 13 key drug targets for licensing. Among such patents Euroscreen owns rights to CCR5 a receptor that plays a key role in HIV infection, GnRH-R strongly involved in hormonal diseases and prostate cancer, GPR7/8 involved in metabolic defects and adult-onset obesity, purinergic receptors (P2Y4, P2Y11 and P2Y13) and the non-GPCR SHIP2 for type II diabetes. Euroscreen is able to offer rights to companies which are developing therapeutic drugs that act through the above-mentioned key targets mode of action. For more information regarding the Euroscreens portfolio, please contact Dr. Vincent Lannoy.

Euroscreen is a privately held company based in Brussels, Belgium, and currently has 80 employees of which 50 are in R&D.

More information can be found at www.euroscreen.be