|
|
 |
| |
|
Home > Drug News > Euroscreen Strengthens its Patent Position in the Field of Inflammatory Targets
Euroscreen Strengthens its Patent Position in the Field of Inflammatory Targets
European patent awarded for uses of Chemerin receptor and its natural ligand, both implicated in the control of physiological and pathological inflammatory reactions
Brussels, Belgium (PRWEB) November 9, 2005 -- Euroscreen SA, a world leader in G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), today announced the issuance of a key European patent which protects the uses of Chemerin receptor and its natural ligand to find compounds that modulate its activity, and thus may have pharmaceutical potential.
The Chemerin receptor was cloned and characterized by the team of Professor Marc Parmentier at the Institute of Interdisciplinary Research (IRIBHM) of the Université Libre de Bruxelles. Their studies have shown that Chemerin receptor is mainly expressed on Dendritic Cells and Macrophages which are Antigen Presenting Cells (APCs), and that the natural ligand of Chemerin receptor (Chemerin) is a novel chemoattractant factor that specifically attracts APCs through this receptor. Recent data obtained at the IRIBHM strongly suggest that the central role played by APCs both in the initiation of immune responses and in the link between innate and adaptive immunity could be regulated by Chemerin receptor and its Chemerin ligand.
The European patent (1 405 083 B1) relates in particular to (i) screening methods to single out compounds that modulate, either up or down, the biological activity of Chemerin receptor, (ii) kit for screening agents that modulate the binding or the signaling activity of Chemerin receptor, (iii) kit for the diagnosis of a disease or disorder characterized by dysregulation of Chemerin receptor signaling, and (iv) the natural ligand of Chemerin receptor. The issuance of equivalent patents in the USA, Japan and Canada will occur in the near future.
Commenting on the announcement, Prof. Marc Parmentier, CSO and founder of Euroscreen, said: “This European patent award is a significant milestone in the positioning of Euroscreen as a GPCR company focused on inflammatory diseases and encourages us to pursue our efforts in internal drug discovery programs encompassing several inflammatory targets including the Chemerin receptor.”
Back to Drug News
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|