Another card added to the pipeline.
This company has developed an impressive array of candidates.
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ICOS Receives Exclusive License From Stanford
BOTHELL, Wash., Nov 13, 2000 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- ICOS Corporation (Nasdaq:ICOS)today announced an exclusive license agreement with Stanford University for polyphosphate kinase technology that was developed in the laboratory of Arthur Kornberg, M.D., Nobel laureate and Professor Emeritus, Department of Biochemistry at Stanford University.
Polyphosphate kinase (PPK) is an enzyme found in a wide range of pathogenic bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Neisseria meningitidis. Well-known pathologic conditions associated with these
bacteria include cystic fibrosis, tuberculosis, meningitis, and other hospital-acquired infections. Experiments in Dr. Kornberg's laboratory have revealed that expression of PPK by these microorganisms enhances their capacity to resist stress, move rapidly to invade body tissue, and grow as a film on tissue and catheter surfaces -- all of which are key elements required to cause disease in people. Human cells do not express PPK or a close relative. Therefore, ICOS believes the inhibitors targeted to PPK may serve as
broad-spectrum antibiotics with little toxicity to human cells. Since a drug targeting PPK would work through a mechanism distinct from all antibiotics currently used, it may provide a new approach to treating antibiotic-resistant
strains, which are today one of the most significant medial challenges. The Company has a research team seeking to identify drug candidates.
ICOS is a product-driven company that has expertise in both protein-based and small molecule therapeutics. The Company combines capabilities in molecular, cellular and structural biology, high throughput drug screening, medicinal chemistry and genomics to develop highly innovative products with significant commercial potential. The Company applies its integrated approach to specific target areas where it has expertise. ICOS believes this strategy increases the chances of successfully developing commercial products. These target areas include erectile dysfunction, female sexual dysfunction, sepsis, pulmonary hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. |
