Wilder,
Re: MCLS. Having another watch here because of Emerald BioStructures. It is taking almost two months, but I've made a little connection. The October 8th collaboration with Pharmacia has special signifigance, for Emerald is doing a lot of work on human topoisomerase I, as you know. It turns out that Pharmacia's irinotecan uses this target. Emerald collaborators at U. of Washington (where co-founder Stewart came from) have been fiddling with the linker domain to modulate the DNA snipping action. The COOH terminal is the only other domain not highly conserved, and this is where the tyrosine kinase (if memory serves) action occurs. I would expect that Emerald is fiddling with these domains in situations where it is bonded to irinotecan or similar compounds. I don't yet understand what tweak might favorably alter toxicity, but then, that's what MCLS is getting paid the small bucks for.
Anyhow, the October 8th PR does not make this connection. I searched for abstracts from MCLS scientist's but they're being secretive. Champoux, Ireton, & others continue to publish work that likely parallels Emerald's topoisomerase I projects. Here's a full article on that compound by some of these guys from Science, free registration required.
sciencemag.org
Thinking this could lead to a deal similar to AMEV's for modifying MEDI's Synagis. Am I dreaming? Royalties were mentioned in the PR. I suppose I could go look and see if someone forgot to elide the numbers in the 8-K or where ever they might be. Even with this year's troubles, if MCLS gets below a buck again, Trickle & I might try for another ride.
Cheers, Tuck |
