What does everybody make of this?
Progenitor Granted Second Patent on Fat Gene Discovery
MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--June 9, 1998--Progenitor, Inc. (NASDAQ:PGEN - news, PGENW -
news) today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued the company its
second patent covering the leptin receptor (US Patent No. 5,763,211).
The patent relates to genes encoding the human leptin receptor and naturally occurring human leptin receptor variants,
expression vectors and genetically engineered cells incorporating the genes, and methods for producing leptin receptor
molecules in genetically engineered cells.
The leptin receptor is a cell surface protein that interacts with the hormone leptin to reduce appetite and weight. The
USPTO issued the first leptin receptor patent (No. 5,643,748) to Progenitor in July 1997.
''With two issued patents, two allowed patents, and another four patent applications pending, Progenitor has a very
solid intellectual property position in the highly competitive and extremely important field of obesity,'' said Douglass
B. Given, M.D., Ph.D., president and chief executive officer. ''Through our license agreement with Amgen and
collaboration with Cambridge Antibody Technology, we are well on the way to fully exploiting our leptin receptor
discoveries through a series of agreements that pursues the full range of opportunities for this important technology
asset.''
In December 1996 Progenitor licensed to Amgen Inc. [Nasdaq:AMGN - news] certain exclusive rights for the
development and commercialization of products using Progenitor's leptin receptor technology. In March 1998
Progenitor entered into a broad collaboration with Cambridge Antibody Technology Ltd. that includes a jointly owned
program to develop and commercialize novel antibody-based therapeutics using the leptin receptor technology.
Progenitor retains exclusive rights to the technology for certain uses. Among these is the use of the leptin receptor to
screen for and select small molecules that bind to the receptor and either block its function or mimic the activities
induced by leptin. Such small molecule leads potentially could be used to develop drugs that modulate the leptin-leptin
receptor interaction, for the treatment of obesity, diabetes, eating disorders such as anorexia, and other conditions.
Progenitor plans to form partnerships with pharmaceutical companies to develop small molecule therapeutics and other
applications of its leptin receptor technology.
Leptin is a hormone produced by fat cells. Though early studies demonstrated that mice injected with leptin exhibited
reduced appetite and weight loss, recent research shows that obese humans have elevated leptin levels. These and
related findings imply that decreased levels of leptin are not the primary cause of obesity, and suggest the presence of a
non-responsive leptin receptor variant in obese individuals.
Obesity has reached epidemic levels in the US and other western countries. According to the National Institute of
Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), one in three or 58 million American adults aged 20 through 74
are overweight. Obesity is a serious health concern because of its association with adult-onset diabetes, hypertension,
heart disease and other disorders.
Progenitor discovers human genes and their roles in disease using a unique functional genomics platform that combines
developmental biology and disease genetics. Progenitor focuses on providing genomic information, databases and
tools critical to pharmaceutical partners' drug development programs. Progenitor also identifies pharmaceutical leads
and targets which it pursues through a combination of partnerships, licenses and retained rights for internal product
development programs.
Except for the descriptions of historical facts contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements
that involve risks and uncertainties as detailed from time to time in Progenitor's SEC filings under the Securities and
Exchange Act of 1934, including the early stage of development of Progenitor's technology; need for additional funds;
patent, regulatory and competitive risks; dependence on third parties; product liability; and other risks.
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