Aurora Biosciences Corporation and LIDAK
Pharmaceuticals Sign Drug Discovery Licensing
Agreement on ADIFAB Technology
by Business Editors and Health/Medical
Aug 7 1997 10:14AM CST, BUSINESS WIRE
LA JOLLA, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--Aug. 7, 1997--Aurora Biosciences
Corporation (NASDAQ:ABSC) and LIDAK Pharmaceuticals
(NASDAQ/NNM:LDAKA) announced today an agreement whereby Aurora
receives an exclusive world-wide license, with rights to sublicense, LIDAK's
proprietary fluorescent one-step unbound free fatty acid determination method
(ADIFAB) for the field of screening for therapeutic compounds. LIDAK retains
rights for other fields, including human diagnostic applications.
The ADIFAB technology, developed by Alan M. Kleinfeld, Ph.D. and his
colleagues at Medical Biology Institute and LIDAK Pharmaceuticals, is based
on a genetically engineered fluorescent probe that provides a unique method to
directly measure unbound free fatty acid (FFAu) levels. The ADIFAB assay is a
sensitive and reliable measurement that can be performed rapidly and is
amenable to high throughput screening. Dr. Kleinfeld has agreed to serve as an
exclusive consultant to Aurora for the application of this technology to the field
of drug discovery. Under the Agreement, Dr. Kleinfeld will serve as a
consultant to Aurora for the application of this technology to the field of drug
discovery.
"The ADIFAB technology will allow Aurora to develop assays to identify potential drug
candidates that modulate lipid pathways," said Paul Grayson, vice president of
corporate development at Aurora. "This is an example of new technologies for high
throughput screening that we are acquiring to broaden the portfolio of fluorescent assay
technologies for Aurora and our collaborators. Modulation of lipid metabolism has
applications in many biological areas including signal transduction and energy
metabolism." In return for the exclusive license Aurora will pay LIDAK maintenance,
milestone and royalty fees.
Commenting on the announcement, David H. Katz, M.D., LIDAK's president and chief
executive officer, stated, "The ADIFAB technology has screen development application
for a wide variety of diseases such as ischemia, inflammation, obesity, diabetes, and
immune dysfunction. We believe the potential application of the ADIFAB technology
will be usefully expanded into the area of drug discovery by working with an outstanding
company such as Aurora Biosciences which is setting the standard in high throughput
screening."
Healthy human beings appear to have strong regulation to maintain consistent and low
levels FFAu in their blood. Preliminary evidence from studies conducted by Dr.
Kleinfeld and his colleagues indicate that FFAu levels in patients with certain diseases,
such as coronary artery disease, certain types of cancer and diabetes, may be
substantially higher than the normal levels found in healthy individuals. The companies
believe that the ADIFAB technology is the only method to directly measure unbound
FFAu in human blood plasma.
Aurora Biosciences Corporation designs and develops proprietary drug discovery
systems, services and technologies to accelerate and enhance the discovery of new
medicines. Aurora is developing an integrated technology platform comprised of a
portfolio of proprietary fluorescent assay technologies and an ultra high throughput
screening system designed to allow assay miniaturization.
LIDAK Pharmaceuticals is developing therapeutic products against virally caused
diseases, inflammatory disorders, allergies and asthma, and cancer. LIDAK recently
completed the patient enrollment and treatment portion of two Phase 3 clinical trials
studying its proprietary drug, n-docosanol (LIDAKOL) as a treatment for oral herpes.
The studies were conducted on more than 600 patients at 22 clinical sites around the
United States. The Company anticipates data availability during the summer of 1997, as
previously reported.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks
and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are set forth in the company's
prospectus dated June 19, 1997 or detailed form time to time in filing that the company
makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
(Copyright 1997) |
