emphasis mine (duh!).....
Tuesday March 28, 7:31 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
Neurocrine Biosciences Inc. Expands
Neuro-Transporter Research Into Retina Ischemia
Program Awarded National Institutes of Health --NIH-- Grant
SAN DIEGO--(BW HealthWire)--March 28, 2000--Neurocrine Biosciences Inc. (Nasdaq:NBIX - news) Tuesday
announced that the company expanded its Excitatory Amino Acid Transporters (EAATs) research program into retinal cell
death associated with ischemic damage.
The company also announced that the company has been awarded an NIH research grant to fund identification of novel
compounds for the alleviation of neuronal cell death in the retina in response to a wide range of conditions including diabetic
retinopathy, glaucoma, venous and arterial occlusions of the retina and anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.
The company's EAATs technology platform was developed by Northwest Neurologic in collaboration with Oregon Health
Sciences University. Neurocrine acquired Northwest Neurologic in 1997 and expanded the platform to include Neurocrine's
technologies. In 1999, the company entered into collaboration with Wyeth-Ayerst (a pharmaceutical division of American
Home Products) to develop and commercialize compounds, which modulate EAATs for the treatment of neurodegenerative
and psychiatric diseases. The expansion of the company's research into retinal cell death focuses on a new class of EAATs that
are not part of the Wyeth-Ayerst collaboration. This finding validates the breadth of this technology and exemplifies how the
company plans to expand its product opportunities in the EAATs field.
``The expansion of the EAATs program into retinal diseases is a natural extension of the current research being conducted at
Neurocrine,' said Susan G. Amara, Ph.D., co-founder of Northwest Neurologic and Howard Hughes Fellow at the Vollum
Institute of the Oregon Health Sciences University. ``The goal of identifying potent and selective compounds that modulate
EAAT1 is an exciting and unexplored avenue for the development of neuroprotective drugs.'
Neurocrine scientists, led by project leaders Drs. Alan Foster and Scott Eliasof, will screen focused small molecule compound
libraries. Such libraries have been constructed computationally to map out molecular property space, which all drugs are known
to occupy, with compounds being evenly distributed within that space. Active compounds will be assessed for selectivity and
neuroprotection in several established model systems.
``This is yet another example of the strength of Neurocrine's research platform. The EAAT program capitalizes on the
integrated research and development approach underlying Neurocrine's programs. We feel that receipt of the NIH award not
only provides funding for this program but also peer review validation of the program,' said Paul J. Conlon, Vice President
Discovery Research.
Background Information
Dr. Amara was the first to clone the human forms of EAATs and has played a leading role in the characterization of the function
of EAATs in the central nervous system. EAATs serve as novel targets for the development of drugs, which modulate
glutamate concentrations in the brain. Neurotransmitter transporters play an important role in regulating the levels of
neurotransmitters, and some of the most successful central nervous system drugs are ones which selectively target these
transporters. Similarly, Neurocrine is targeting the EAATs to selectively modulate the levels of the excitatory neurotransmitter
glutamate to produce a therapeutic benefit in disorders where glutamate levels are abnormal such as in stroke, head trauma,
schizophrenia as well as retinal ischemia, and other neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders.
Neurocrine Biosciences is a leading neuroscience company focused on the discovery and development of novel therapeutics for
neuropsychiatric, neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases and disorders. The company's neuroscience, endocrine
and immunology disciplines provide a unique biological understanding of the molecular interaction between central nervous,
immune and endocrine systems for the development of therapeutic interventions for anxiety, depression, insomnia, stroke,
malignant brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, obesity and diabetes.
Neurocrine Biosciences Inc. news releases are available through the company's Web site via the Internet at
neurocrine.com.
In addition to historical facts, this press release may contain forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and
uncertainties. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward looking
statements are risks and uncertainties associated with Neurocrine's research and development programs and business and
finances including, but not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with, or arising out of, drug discovery, pre-clinical and
clinical development of products including risk that research may not generate development candidates, development
candidates will not successfully proceed through early clinical trials or that in later stage clinical trials will not show that they are
effective in treating humans; determinations by regulatory and governmental authorities; changes in relationships with strategic
partners and dependence upon strategic partners for performance of clinical and commercialization activities under
collaborative agreements including potential for any collaboration agreement to be terminated without any product success;
uncertainties relating to patent protection and intellectual property rights of third parties; impact of competitive products and
technological changes; availability of capital and cost of capital; and other material risks. A more complete description of these
risks can be found in the company's Form 10K for Dec. 31, 1998. Neurocrine undertakes no obligation to update the
statements contained in this press release after the date hereof.
Contact:
Neurocrine Biosciences
Claudia Jones or Paul Hawran, 858/658-7600 |
