|
||
| |||||||
|
Boehringer Ingelheim enters into multi-target drug discovery collaboration with Morphochem Munich,
Germany, 4th February 2004 - Morphochem
AG, a leader in the evolutionary discovery of small molecule drugs announced
that it has entered into a research collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim, a
leading pharmaceutical company with a focus on human pharmaceuticals and animal
health. Morphochem will apply its
drug discovery engine MOREsystem™ to the discovery and optimization of novel
structures with activity against several undisclosed novel human targets. Financial
terms of the collaboration were not disclosed. MOREsystem™
combines multi-component reaction chemistry (MCR) with Morphochem’s
proprietary software MolMind™ that is based on genetic algorithms using in-silico
and biological feedback. This drug discovery engine generates a range of
target–directed virtual small compound libraries for hit and lead discovery in
parallel, from which suitable compounds will be chosen for synthesis and
biological testing. This approach reduces the attrition rate for drug candidates
and allows patents to be filed early for novel compounds.
Initial in-silico model
building will be facilitated by Morphochems novel proprietary 3D shape
similarity tool AutoPhore®. This
will enable rapid access to bioisosteric solutions, scaffold hopping and provide
a realistic estimate of the probability of the projects success. Dr
Peter Seufer-Wasserthal VP Business Development at Morphochem commented: “We
are very pleased to collaborate with Boehringer Ingelheim and to contribute
towards their drug discovery and development programs. This collaboration
endorses the value of our novel approach. Compounds
can be checked for fit with a target and then further refined using evolutionary
algorithms so that potential drug candidates can be pre-optimized for biological
activity and drug potential before synthesis is started.”
-ends-
Morphochem
AG
discovers and develops highly selective small molecule compounds for the
medicines of tomorrow. The company integrates novel chemistries with biological
screening on the basis of its proprietary MolMind™ technology. Its unique and
highly integrated chemical genomics platform provides a continuous flow of novel
drug candidates for un-met medical needs in major areas of indications such as
cancer and anti-infectives Morphochem
was launched in Munich in 1998 and is an integrated, transnational drug
discovery and development company, currently employing some 60 plus staff. To
date the Company has raised €78 million in four financing rounds. For further
information please consult www.morphochem.com
Boehringer
Ingelheim The
Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation is one of the world’s 20 leading
pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates
globally with 156 affiliates in 44 countries and more than 32,000 employees.
Since it was founded in 1885, the family-owned company has been committed to
researching, manufacturing and marketing novel products of high therapeutic
value for human and veterinary medicine. In
2002, Boehringer Ingelheim posted net sales of 7.6 billion euro while spending
about one fifth of net sales in its largest business segment Prescription
Medicines on research and development. For
further information about Boehringer Ingelheim please visit For
further information please contact: Media
Enquiries: Sue
Charles, CEO Northbank
Communications Tel:
+44 (0)207 886 8152 Mobile:
+44 (0)7968 726585 Email:
s.charles@northbankcommunications.com Investor
Enquiries: Dr
Alfred Seidel, CEO Thomas
Loeser, CFO Tel:
+49 (0)89 78 00 50 Email:
alfred.seidel@morphochem.de Email:
thomas.loeser@morphochem.de At
Morphochem: Dr
Peter Seufer-Wasserthal Tel:
+43 (0)7673 321511 Email:
peter.seufer@morphochem.de At
Boehringer Ingelheim: Kerstin
Felix Tel:
+49 6132 77 9040 Email: Kerstin.Felix@ing.boehringer-ingelheim.com
|
|
| ||||||||