Astex Publishes Structure Of Human Cytochrome P450 3A4

LONDON (Agence de Presse Medicale for Reuters Health) - UK drug discovery company, Astex Technology, said on Friday it had published in the journal Science the 3-dimensional structure of human cytochrome P450 3A4, the most important drug metabolising enzyme.

The company, which has previously published in Nature the first 3-dimensional crystal structure of a human cytochrome P450 protein, CYP450 2C9, said its technology enabled drugs to be designed more rationally, resulting in better absorption and reduced toxicity, thus increasing the chances of commercialisation.

Since its establishment in 1999, Astex has raised 51 million pounds from private investors. It has research agreements with several big pharma companies, including AstraZeneca and Aventis, and also expects to start clinical trials of its own oncology drugs in 2005.

MeSH Headings: Biochemical Phenomena : Biochemical Phenomena, Metabolism, and Nutrition : Chemistry : Chemistry, Physical : Cytochrome P-450 : Cytochromes : Enzymes, Coenzymes, and Enzyme Inhibitors : Hydroxylases : Physical Sciences : Molecular Structure : Biological Sciences : Chemicals and Drugs : Physical Sciences

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