Euroscreen Receives US Patent Covering Antibodies Which Bind To Delta32 CCR5 Mutant Chemokine Receptor

Euroscreen s.a., a world leader in G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), today announced the issue of a key US patent (6,930,174) in the area of CCR5 and diagnostic applications. The patent claims antibodies which specifically bind to the human delta32 mutant of the chemokine receptor CCR5.

BRUSSELS, Belgium (PRWEB) August 16, 2005 -- Euroscreen s.a., a world leader in G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), today announced the issue of a key US patent (6,930,174) in the area of CCR5 and diagnostic applications. The patent claims antibodies which specifically bind to the human delta32 mutant of the chemokine receptor CCR5.

The delta32 mutant of the CCR5 gene encodes a non-functional version of CCR5 which is present in people that display natural immunity to HIV infection. Recent communications also suggest that this mutant could be a good genetic marker related to the severity of rheumatoid arthritis as well as a predictive marker for renal transplant survival. This information makes of the CCR5 delta32 mutant a potential candidate for several diagnostic applications.

In addition to the above-mentioned US patent, Euroscreen has already received other US patents protecting the composition of matter claims related to the human CCR5 delta32 mutant receptor. Euroscreen is also awaiting the issuance of equivalent patent claims in Europe, Japan and Canada.

Commenting on the announcement, Dr Pierre Nokin, Euroscreen President and CEO said: Such CCR5 delta32 antibodies and other composition of matters encompassed by our CCR5 patent portfolio will be relevant tools for companies which want to develop diagnostic applications and kits dealing with the CCR5 delta32 mutant receptor."
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 Amersham/GE Healthcare, Cephalon, ChemDiv, Evotec, 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 many key drug targets for licensing. Such patents include CCR5, ChemR23, GPR43, GPR7/8, purinergic receptors (P2Y4, P2Y11 and P2Y13) and SHIP2 for type II diabetes. Euroscreen is able to offer intellectual property rights to companies for the development of therapeutic drugs that act through the above-mentioned targets. For more information regarding the Euroscreens portfolio, please contact Dr. Vincent Lannoy.

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

More information can be found at www.euroscreen.com

For further information, please contact:
Euroscreen s.a.   
Tel: +32 71 348 500      
LicensingBD@euroscreen.com

Pierre Nokin, Ph.D.
President and CEO

Vincent Lannoy, Ph.D.
Business Development and Licensing Manager

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