Euroscreen Licenses CCR5 Patent Rights to Boehringer Ingelheim

Euroscreen S.A. has completed a license agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim, for access to the portfolio of CCR5 patent rights owned and licensed to Euroscreen. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

Brussels, Belgium (PRWEB) September 4, 2007 -- Euroscreen S.A. has completed a license agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim, for access to the portfolio of CCR5 patent rights owned and licensed to Euroscreen. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

Euroscreen, ICOS Corporation, and Human Genome Sciences, Inc. each have significant CCR5 patent rights. Euroscreen is acting as licensing agent for all three companies in the non-Antibody field.

The CCR5 receptor, abbreviated for chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 5, is a chemokine receptor that plays a central role in the mechanism by which the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) binds to and enters white blood cells, and therefore represents a key target in the search for effective novel treatments for HIV infection and AIDS. Compounds modulating CCR5 activity is one potential approach to blocking HIV entry as an AIDS therapy. The use of these patents for their sequence, screening and other claims is basic to the development of CCR5-based drug candidates.
Commenting on the announcement, Dr. Jean Combalbert, CEO of Euroscreen, said, "Euroscreen has always recognized the importance of first having and then using the specific patent rights required in drug development programs. We look forward to enabling companies developing CCR5-based therapeutics with non-exclusive licenses for the use of this broad patent portfolio."

For further licensing Information, please contact:
Euroscreen S.A. Tel: +32 71 348 500 email: LicensingBD@euroscreen.com
Jean Combalbert, Ph.D.
CEO
Vincent Lannoy, Ph.D.
Business Development and Licensing Manager
About Euroscreen S.A. www.euroscreen.com

Euroscreen is a preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focusing on the discovery, development and partnering of small molecule drugs for unmet medical needs. Euroscreen is developing a pipeline of compounds targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) using over 12 years of experience in research and commercialization of this critical class of drug targets in association with the Institute of Interdisciplinary Research (IRIBHM) of the University of Brussels. The AequoScreen(tm) cellular assay platform is used extensively in its screening of GPCRs for candidate drugs which are partnered during preclinical development.

The Company has developed a broad GPCR patent portfolio for licensing to biopharmaceutical companies. Such patents address targets such as CCR5, Chemerin receptor, GPR43, GPR7/8, FPRL2, 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.

Euroscreen pursues a dual platform strategy of combining its drug discovery business with its services business unit which supports biopharmaceutical companies around the world. Euroscreen focuses on internal targets in the inflammation area as well as several partnered preclinical-stage collaborations with biopharmaceutical partners. The company has research, product distribution and licensing partnerships with Alchemia, Cephalon, ChemDiv, GNF, HGS, ICOS, Medarex, Novartis and Pfizer Inc. Euroscreen is a privately held company based in Brussels, Belgium. (www.euroscreen.com)

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