Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Structural GenomiX (SGX) announced a collaboration today with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to solve the three-dimensional structure of a complex protein that causes cystic fibrosis (CF) when defective. The structure of this transmembrane protein, CFTR (Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator), will yield new insight into the precise mechanism of the disease, with the potential for the development of novel compounds. Under the terms of the five-year agreement, SGX will receive up to $11 million in committed research funding from the CF Foundation, with additional payments for milestones and royalties.
Individuals with CF have a defective gene that codes for the CFTR protein; this causes them to develop a thick, sticky mucus that leads to a cascade of damage to the airways and digestive tract, and a substantially increased risk of serious infections. By correcting the underlying reason for the disease -- the defective CFTR protein -- researchers hope to develop innovative therapies.
``CF scientists have attempted to determine the structure of the CFTR protein, but without a lot of success. The CF Foundation thinks that Structural GenomiX will bring new cutting edge technologies to the problem, and hopefully accomplish this difficult task,'' said Robert J. Beall, Ph.D., President and CEO of the CF Foundation.
During the five-year collaboration, SGX will use its genomics approach to exploit sequence variations in the CFTR gene across species to lead to an X-ray structure of the protein. CFTR plays a role in transporting chloride and regulating sodium movement within cells. No three-dimensional structure of CFTR currently exists.... |
