CAMBRIDGE, UK and MUNICH, Germany, Jan. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- A European community Sixth Framework grant to discover new genetic targets for the treatment of obesity has been awarded to an international consortium of academic and industry leaders. The grant, representing a total funding of 11.7 million euro over five years, will support the discovery of four to five new drug targets for the treatment and prevention of obesity and its complications, including Type II Diabetes. Recipients of the grant include noted obesity researcher Prof. Steve O'Rahilly of the University of Cambridge and drug discovery leader Ingenium Pharmaceuticals, both of which are focusing their research on the understanding of the pathophysiological fundamentals of obesity. The approach of both parties is highly complementary; Professor O'Rahilly works most closely with obese patients and Ingenium's discovery technology is based on understanding the disease-causing processes in animal models.
"Although the genetic component of obesity has been scientifically accepted, we are still at a stage where the disease state is so complex, that in order to identify truly effective ways to treat it, we must use a multidisciplinary approach," said Professor Stephen O'Rahilly, University Chair and Professor of Metabolic Medicine at Cambridge University. "This grant provides an exciting way for academic research and biotechnology companies to intensify their interaction to better understand the different biological facets of this complex disease."
"Steve O'Rahilly is one of the most well-regarded researchers in the field and has been an expert consultant to Ingenium over the last several years. We are very excited to have additional financial support to expand our collaboration with him," stated Dr. Johannes Grosse, Ph.D., Program Leader of Ingenium Pharmaceuticals' Metabolic Disease research. "Working with him, we will apply our expertise in discovering and understanding gene function in animal models, which will elucidate novel aspects of the disease process that we then can efficiently transfer to patients."
Obesity has long ceased to be a problem of bad eating habits. Scientific researchers and government officials have described obesity as an epidemic. A recent publication in the journal Science (1) stated that obesity itself and diseases that are associated with obesity, such as Type II Diabetes, are now a major global health problem, with over one billion overweight adults and 300 million obese people worldwide. Currently, neither dieting nor the available pharmaceuticals for treating obesity can be seen as effective in battling the disease.
In addition to Ingenium and the University of Cambridge, the Diabesity consortium includes Goteborg University, Sweden; The Royal Veterinary & Agricultural University in Fredriksberg, Denmark; Genome Research Limited in Cambridge, UK; Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine in London, UK; DeveloGen AG in Goettingen, Germany; Klinik II und Poliklinik fur Innere Medizin des Universitatsklinikums Koln in Cologne Germany; MRC Mammalian Genetics Unit in London, UK; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela in Spain; Universita degli Studi di Torino in Italy; IntegraGen SA in Envry, France; Philipps Universitat Marburg in Germany; University of Edinburgh in UK; Hungarian Academy of Sciences, in Budapest, Hungary; Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden; Rowett Research Institute in Aberdeen, UK; College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elisabeth in Dublin, Ireland; Universita di Bologna in Italy; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique in Paris, France; Universite de Geneve in Switzerland; Institute Pasteur de Lille in France; European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany; and Deutsches Institut fuer Ernaehrungsforschung in Bergholz-Rehbrucke/Potsdam, Germany.
The basis of Ingenium's business is its knowledge and expertise in generating the biological information critical to the discovery, validation and development of therapeutics. Ingenium's Deductive Genomics(R) technology combines genome-covering mutagenesis in the murine model system with a proprietary, therapeutic goal-oriented biological screen. From the breadth of knowledge generated by Deductive Genomics(R), Ingenium is currently advancing a pipeline of novel models and biologically validated drug targets in the areas of inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes/obesity, and neurological disorders. The company's INGENOtyping(TM) platform offers the most rapid access to innovative murine models for drug discovery research. Ingenium has research partnership agreements with Elan Corporation, Bayer AG, F. Hoffmann- La Roche Ltd., Molecular Engines Laboratories, Sequenom Inc., and Oxagen Limited, in addition to numerous international academic collaborations.
1. Hill et al (Science 2003, 299:853)
Ingenium and Deductive Genomics are registered U.S. trademarks.
For more information contact:
Gretchen L.P. Schweitzer
Vice President Corporate Communications
Ingenium Pharmaceuticals AG
Ph: 49 89 8565 2398
gretchen.schweitzer@ingenium-ag.com
Ingenium Pharmaceuticals