Thread,
News - two of PCOP's collaborative programs have been expanded, to include further optimization of compounds showing activity against additional targets. Also, a Berlex product candidate (inflammation) is "progressing towards formal clinical development." After 3 1/2 years, maybe Berlex is getting ready to take the next step. WT
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tuesday August 11, 8:00 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
Pharmacopeia Announces Expansion of Programs with Berlex and Organon to Pursue Chemical Optimization
- Lead Identification Programs Prove Successful with Both Companies -
PRINCETON, N.J., Aug. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Pharmacopeia, Inc. (Nasdaq:PCOP) today announced that it has received additional funding from Berlex Laboratories, Inc. and N.V. Organon (Organon), in order to pursue chemical optimization on additional lead compounds identified by Pharmacopeia in collaborations with each of these companies.
Under the terms of its original agreement with Berlex signed in February, 1995, Pharmacopeia agreed to use its proprietary combinatorial chemistry, high-throughput screening and informatics capabilities to identify lead compounds against certain inflammation targets. A series of highly potent and selective compounds were identified and optimized. A product candidate is progressing towards formal clinical development. A second compound, active against a different target, has recently been identified by Pharmacopeia. Berlex has agreed to provide Pharmacopeia with additional funding to pursue chemical optimization to improve potency and selectivity of this lead compound. As this compound progresses through development, Pharmacopeia will be entitled to milestone payments, and if commercialized, royalties on net sales.
"The collaboration has demonstrated the power of large libraries to provide high quality leads," said Leslie J. Browne, Ph.D., Vice President Discovery Research at Berlex.
Under the terms of its agreement with Organon signed in May, 1996, Pharmacopeia also agreed to combine its platform technologies to identify compounds against targets in several different therapeutic areas. Research in this collaboration led to the identification of an active compound against a different, although related, target not included in the original agreement. This additional funding expands the original agreement to include the development of a compound against this additional target. Pharmacopeia will be eligible for milestone and royalty payments in this program as well.
"Pharmacopeia's proprietary approach to drug discovery continues to demonstrate its utility in accelerating the identification and optimization of potential drugs," said Joseph A. Mollica, Ph.D., Chairman, President and CEO. "Our proprietary ECLiPS(TM) technology enables us to make and test very large numbers of small molecule compounds. As a result, we are able to identify solid lead compounds against challenging drug targets and develop abundant structure-activity relationship (SAR) information. This SAR facilitates optimization of lead compounds to improve potency and selectivity. We are pleased that both Berlex and Organon recognize the value we have provided thus far and are willing to invest additional funding so that we may pursue these programs even further."
SOURCE: Pharmacopeia, Inc. |
