Andy, LGND licensed the STAT technology in 1992 (it was called RAFT back then) from Rockefeller and NYU. At the time it was very new and I'm sure that some very broad claims were made in the patents filed by Rockefeller and NYU. LGND has an exclusive license on the technology. LGND has been able to use its patent estate to sign deals with a number of companies. The IR technology is a bit more mature (the first hormone receptor sequence was published in 1985 by Ron Evans) and most of LGND's deals are in that area. The big pharmas are interested because many of their big sellers (Premarin, Tamoxifen, Retin-A, Renova, Accuatane, Rezulin, various steroids for inflammation and reproductive functions or associated problems) activate IRs and the current market is about $5 Billion (which should grow significantly as new application such as Rezulin and Targretin come to market and baby boomers continue to age). Some have predicted that the STAT technology will target a similar size market. Right now, most of the STAT impacted products are made by Biotechs and they are administered via injection. LGND's STAT technology seeks to identify small molecules that mimic the polypeptide hormones (and the small molecules can be administered orally and easily modified by organic chemists). Most interferons, interleukins, growth factors, and compounds such as leptin, act through STATs including most of the products of Biopharmaceuticals (such as Epogen, Neupogen, Insulin, Aldesleukin, Betaseron, Avonex, Myotropin, etc.).
The report on STAT5b suggests that the STAT technology will have even broader applications, which should attract even more partners since LGND has a very strong patent position as well as many programs in this area.
Henry |
