Norak Biosciences, Inc. Partners With Purdue Pharmaceuticals, L.P. For Access To Transfluor(R) Technology
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Norak Biosciences, Inc. announced today the signing of a screening services agreement with Purdue Pharma L.P. to utilize Transfluor(R) technology for G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) based drug discovery. Under the terms of the agreement Norak will develop Transfluor(R) cell lines expressing an orphan GPCR target of interest to Purdue and then screen this cell line in its high throughput screening facility against a Purdue compound library. Financial details of the agreement are not disclosed.
"This important collaboration further validates the importance of Norak's Transfluor(R) technology in orphan GPCR-based drug discovery," stated Dr. Roger D. Blevins, Norak's president and CEO. "Orphan GPCRs represent the next generation of blockbuster drugs but screening these receptors with traditional GPCR assay technologies has proven very challenging. Transfluor(R) is ideally suited to screen orphan GPCRs because no prior knowledge of the receptor's signaling pathway is required."
"Access to the Norak's technology provides Purdue Pharma's Discovery Research with an important edge to increase productivity and an alternative process to be more competitive in drug discovery," said Dr. Tage Honore, Purdue's VP of Discovery Research.
For near-term growth and revenue, Norak is offering access to its Transfluor(R) technology to the pharmaceutical industry via licensing and collaborations. For long-term growth and value, Norak has acquired compound libraries and high throughput screening instrumentation to discover certain GPCR-based drugs for its own drug discovery pipeline.
Norak's Transfluor(R) technology is a patented, universal GPCR drug discovery technology designed to be the most direct and accurate method for screening potential drug candidates against GPCR targets, whether known or orphan. Transfluor was licensed in 1999 by Norak from technology developed at Duke University Medical School and represents the combined research into GPCR signaling pathways over several decades by Norak's scientific founders, Drs. Marc Caron, Robert Lefkowitz, and Larry Barak.
About Purdue Pharma L.P.
Purdue Pharma L.P. and its associated U.S. companies are privately held pharmaceutical companies known for pioneering research on persistent pain. Headquartered in Stamford, CT, Purdue is engaged in the research, development, production and distribution of both prescription and over-the-counter medicines and hospital products. Additional information about Purdue can be found at http://www.purduepharma.com/ .
About Norak Biosciences, Inc.
Norak Biosciences, Inc., headquartered in Research Triangle Park, NC, is a private biotechnology company. Norak is utilizing its proprietary Transfluor technology to become a world leader in the discovery and development of drugs that regulate G protein-coupled receptors.
For more information about Norak Biosciences, Inc., please visit the company's website at http://www.norakbio.com/ or contact:
Terry E. Willard, Vice President, Executive Vice President Norak Biosciences, Inc. 7030 Kit Creek Road, Morrisville, NC, 27560 Phone: 919-248-8000 ext. 8804 Fax: 919-248-8033 twillard@norakbio.com
Norak Biosciences, Inc.CONTACT: Terry E. Willard, Vice President, Executive Vice President ofNorak Biosciences, Inc., +1-919-248-8000, Ext. 8804, or Fax, +1-919-248-8033,or twillard@norakbio.com