Dr. Goddard:
Refreshing your memory, with excerpts from your S.E.C. disclosures.......
Milestones and Royalty
and........
GPCR -- Directed Drug Discovery
In August, 1999, OSI purchased certain assets of Cadus Pharmaceutical
Corporation. In this acquisition, OSI acquired Cadus' drug discovery programs
focused on G-protein coupled receptors or GPCRs. These receptors are one of the
most important families of targets for drug discovery in the pharmaceutical
industry. Approximately, forty percent of the currently marketed pharmaceutical
products target GPCRs. The acquired programs include Cadus' discovery program in
adenosine receptors, an important family of GPCR's. These programs will form the
core of OSI-owned and funded candidate development programs in the coming year.
The improved understanding of the physiology, pharmacology and molecular
biology of adenosine and adenosine receptors in recent years has provided a
solid foundation for active research and development in this field. Currently,
four adenosine receptor subtypes, A(1), A(2A), A(2B) and A(3), have been
characterized and R&D efforts have led to high quality proprietary lead
compounds for each.
Several adenosine receptor compounds are under development by OSI.
Promising adenosine A(1) and adenosine A(2B) receptor targeted compounds will
undergo evaluation as candidates for asthma, with the dual goals of identifying
an IND-track candidate against both targets and simultaneously assessing and
executing the best commercialization strategy. The A(1) compound is targeted for
the treatment of the bronchoconstriction associated with the acute phase of an
asthma attack while the A(2B) compound is directed toward blocking the
inflammatory components produced by mast cells and associated with the longer
term damage caused by the disease. OSI also has potent and selective A(2A)
targeted compounds that have potential for development as both anti-angiogenesis
agents and for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Additionally, OSI has a
selective adenosine A(3) targeted compound that is undergoing extensive
evaluation in animal models for glaucoma. The targets of Parkinson's disease and
glaucoma are examples of programs outside OSI's disease area focus and may be
out-licensed or earlier partnered in the development process.
In addition, an A(1) targeted compound, CDS-096370, has potential for use
in the treatment of congestive heart failure and renal failure. This candidate
has been licensed to Solvay for advanced pre-clinical and clinical development.
Solvay says that clinical development of their A(1) targeted compound is going as planned.
Can you explain your (seemingly) bizarre behavior? Thank you, in advance.
Richard C. Harmon, Ph.D. |
