RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. & TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 15, 2004--Tranzyme Pharma, a privately held drug discovery and development company, and Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories, Ltd. (SNBL), Japan's largest CRO, today announced that they have entered a joint research collaboration to develop non-human primate models of human diseases for medical research and drug discovery.
Under the terms of the collaboration, Tranzyme will provide SNBL access to its functional biology and gene delivery technology (TExT). SNBL will apply the technology to ex vivo and in vivo applications using cells and tissues from non-human primates. SNBL will provide research support for the collaboration and will have an option to license Tranzyme's technology for commercial purposes. Additional financial terms of the collaboration were not disclosed.
SNBL has an established expertise in primate research for preclinical and clinical evaluation of new pharmaceuticals. SNBL was established in 1957 and has an international presence with state-of-the-art facilities in Japan, U.S., Europe and China. In June 2003, SNBL made a strategic equity investment in Tranzyme. SNBL recently completed an IPO on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Mothers Market) in March 2004.
"SNBL is looking forward to working with Tranzyme in this collaboration, which we believe will result in an important advance for drug discovery and development," said Ryoichi Nagata, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of SNBL. "Although there are many obstacles to overcome before disease modeling in non-human primates is achieved, such efforts should be celebrated. These models will facilitate the understanding of diseases in humans and accelerate drug development."
"We are pleased to continue to grow our relationship with SNBL," said Vipin K. Garg, Ph.D., President & CEO of Tranzyme Pharma. "This collaboration is expected to provide models of human diseases that are otherwise not available, resulting ultimately in the discovery of new pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, these unique animal models will provide enhanced efficiency for ongoing drug discovery efforts. Tranzyme continues to leverage its proprietary functional biology and chemistry technologies in strategic partnerships for the discovery and development of novel therapeutics."
Tranzyme Pharma is a drug discovery and development company uniquely focused on diseases of the "brain-gut axis". These diseases represent two complementary therapeutic areas--gastrointestinal disorders and diseases of the central nervous system--which are characterized by shared physiology and pharmacology. The Company's competitive advantage comes from its proprietary Macrocyclic Template Chemistry (MATCH), which is designed to exploit a distinct compound class, macrocyclic small molecules, with proven activity on a wide range of extracellular and intracellular targets. Through integration of Tranzyme's proprietary functional biology with its medicinal chemistry, the Company is able to identify hits and develop optimized leads much more rapidly than industry norms. Tranzyme currently has multiple compounds in preclinical development. The Company's strategy is to leverage its proprietary technologies through internal programs and partnerships to drive the discovery and development of novel therapeutics. For more information visit www.tranzyme.com.
Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories (SNBL) Group was founded in 1957 and is recognized as the first and foremost Contract Research Organization (CRO) in Japan with both preclinical and clinical capabilities. Based on a preclinical foundation, the Group now offers full-service worldwide drug development capabilities, providing the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries with the highest quality research services available at every stage of the drug development process, from early phase discovery through to post marketing stage. The Group has expanded beyond CRO operations to include NanoSolution, Inc. and Translational Research, Ltd. NanoSolution, Inc. offers high-speed nanoscale proteomic analysis in post-genome research, using a direct nanoflow HPLC system with the world's highest throughput. Translational Research, Ltd. provides impetus and support for research at universities and private enterprises and utilizes SNBL's internal preclinical and clinical capabilities to lead drug development through licensing to the pharmaceutical sector. Its first application is in the field of intranasal insulin delivery system. For more information about SNBL Group visit www.snbl.com
Contacts
Tranzyme, Inc. Vipin K. Garg, Ph.D., 919-597-6614 vgarg@tranzyme.com Lindsay N. Donald, DABT, 205-266-4714 ldonald@tranzyme.com or
SNBL Group Masayoshi Takaba, 001-81-3-3500-5597 masayoshi.takaba@snbl.co.jp Ken Takanashi, 001-81-3-3500-5597 ken.takanashi@snbl.co.jp
