MORPHOCHEM
AND FOX CHASE CANCER CENTER ENTER INTO COLLABORATION TO DEVELOP NOVEL
TREATMENTS FOR CANCER
Munich,
October 16 2002 ….
Morphochem AG, a leader in chemical genomics, and Fox Chase Cancer Center
(Philadelphia, US), a comprehensive cancer center, have entered into a
research collaboration that will leverage the strengths of both
organizations to develop new treatments for cancer. The collaboration is
wide ranging and provides for multiple research projects under the terms
of the agreement with the initial focus of the research being to progress
new compounds in the area of Ras pathway modulators towards the clinic.
The
agreement will combine Morphochem’s chemical genomics expertise in
generating novel, patentable small molecules through its evolutionary
approach using multi-component reaction (MCR) chemistry and
its proprietary software - MolMind™ - based on genetic algorithms
for known and unknown targets, with Fox Chase Cancer Center’s cutting
edge biology and clinical expertise in cancer. Under the terms of the
agreement Morphochem will fund the research work and will retain full
commercial rights to any products or technologies emerging from the
collaboration. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Dr
Lutz Weber, CEO of Morphochem, said, “This collaboration fits our vision
of working with partners to apply our chemical genomics drug discovery
process to validate targets and generate potential drug candidates. Fox
Chase is a world class research center with proven expertise in both the
identification of novel cancer targets as well as clinical development.
This collaboration will make a positive contribution to our oncology
pipeline and will minimize the inherent risks of the drug development
process.”
Patricia
Harsche, vice president for business development and planning at Fox Chase
Cancer Center, said, “With its unique MCR chemistry, and their expertise
in the oncology area, Morphochem is an excellent partner for identifying
new small molecules directed towards novel targets identified at Fox
Chase. The collaboration seeks to maximize the synergies between our
biological and chemical expertise and provides a route for
commercialization of chosen discoveries.”
-
ends -
Notes
Morphochem
AG
www.morphochem.de
Morphochem’s
vision is to create a new evolutionary drug discovery process using
chemical genomics to discover and develop next generation therapeutics for
major disease areas of high unmet medical need such as infection,
inflammation, metabolism and cancer.
Morphochem
has established a leading position as experts in this emerging field of
chemical genomics and the company will continue to invest in this
technology as part of its drug discovery programmes.
Morphochem’s
in house development pipeline includes an anti-thrombotic programme
focused on inhibitors of Factor Xa, anti-cancer programmes targeted at Ras-pathway
modulators, and a portfolio of projects against anti-infective targets.
The company has already established R&D partnerships with Aventis in
the areas of diabetes and anti-infectives.
Founded
in Munich in 1996, the Company integrates novel chemistries with
biological screening using custom informatics tools (MolMind™) into an
unique and unparalleled discovery and optimization engine. Highly
selective small molecule therapeutics with minimal side effects are being
selected for in house and partnered development. With its three research
sites Munich, Basel and Princeton, Morphochem is an integrated,
transnational drug discovery and development company, currently employing
some 100 staff.
Fox
Chase Cancer Center
Fox
Chase Cancer Center, one of the first comprehensive cancer centers in the
US designated by the National Cancer Institute in 1974, conducts basic and
clinical research; programs of prevention, detection and treatment of
cancer; and community outreach. For more information about Fox Chase
activities, visit the Center's web site at www.fcc.edu
or call 1-888-FOX CHASE.
