regarding REGN, hot off the press......
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Regeneron receive
U.S. patent covering MAP kinase
DALLAS, Texas/TARRYTOWN, New York--(BW HealthWire)--April 4, 1997--
Enzyme recently shown to be hyperexpressed in breast cancer
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) announced that
they have received U.S. Patent No. 5,595,904 entitled "Family of
MAP2 Protein Kinases." MAP kinases are intracellular enzymes that
play a critical role in the regulation of cell growth.
In a recent paper published in the Journal of Clinical
Investigation, MAP kinase (also known as ERK2, extracellular
signal-regulated kinase 2, the subject of the UT
Southwestern-Regeneron patent) was shown to be hyperexpressed and
hyperactivated in breast cancer. In that paper, Dr. Craig Malbon
and colleagues, from the University Medical Center at the State
University of New York at Stony Brook, suggest that: "Hyperexpression
of MAP kinase may be a critical event in the initiation/progression
of human breast carcinoma and derivative metastases."
The patent is the result of work led by Dr. Melanie Cobb,
professor of pharmacology at UT Southwestern, and Dr. George
Yancopoulos, Vice President, Discovery, at Regeneron. Regeneron is
the exclusive licensee of UT Southwestern for this patent.
Dr. Cobb's laboratory studies the pathways of various protein
kinases. She and Dr. John Minna, professor of pharmacology at UT
Southwestern and Director of the Hamon Center for Therapeutic
Oncology Research, have been investigating whether MAP kinases play
any role in breast or other forms of cancer.
Regeneron is a leader in the application of molecular and cell
biology to identify novel therapeutics for human medical conditions.
Regeneron is applying its expertise in protein growth factors, their
receptors, and their mechanisms of action to the discovery and
development of neurotrophic factors for the potential treatment of
neurodegenerative diseases, peripheral neuropathies, and nerve
injury. In addition, Regeneron has used its technological expertise
to attempt to identify treatments for diseases and conditions outside
the nervous system, including muscle, inflammation, angiogenesis,
hematopoiesis, and cancer.
This news release discusses historical information and includes
forward looking statements that involve a number of risks and
uncertainties, such as risks associated with preclinical and clinical
development in the biotechnology industry, determinations by
regulatory and administrative governmental authorities, competitive
factors, technological developments, costs of developing, producing
and selling products, and the risk factors listed or described from time
to time in Regeneron's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including, but not limited to, the report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 1996.
Regeneron's recent news releases can be obtained by dialing
(800) 311-0841 for fax copies or by accessing the Internet
at www.businesswire.com.
CONTACT: UT Southwestern
Susan A. Steeves
(214) 648-3404
or
Regeneron Contacts: Murray A. Goldberg
Vice President Finance and Administration and CFO
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(914) 345-7492
or
Michael Gross, Partner
Robinson Lerer & Montgomery
(212) 484-7721 |
