deCODE biostructures, Inc. announces the successful completion of a research collaboration with the delivery of structure milestones to Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation (www.mt-pharma.co.jp) against an undisclosed novel target. deCODE biostructures also announces the extension of this research collaboration to include fragment screening for hit identification using deCODE’s Fragments of Life™ library. The expansion of the collaboration provides Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation access to deCODE’s unique hit identification program, computational chemistry, and high throughput crystallography resources. Further details and financial terms were not disclosed.
“The high resolution X-ray crystal structures provided by deCODE have provided insight for Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation to progress its structure-guided drug development program in an important disease area. We are delighted to have now extended our collaboration to the next level with deCODE through its lead discovery platform.” said Dr. Yasuhisa Matsukawa, Senior Manager, Research Strategy & Planning Department of Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation.
“As one of the leaders in fragment based lead discovery, we are delighted to have the opportunity to aid Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation in their important work to identify and optimize compounds for various therapeutic areas.” stated Lance Stewart, President of deCODE biostructures. “Our Fragments of Life™ technology represents a novel approach to expand intellectual property and identify new ligand architectures with high ligand efficiency. Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation has a long and successful history in the development of innovative new medicines. We are pleased that Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation has further expanded the collaboration with deCODE biostructures in structure-based drug discovery. We are committed to foster additional partnerships with the Japanese pharmaceutical research community.”
About Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation
Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation (MTPC) is a research-driven global biopharmaceutical leader based in Japan, specializing in research, development and marketing of globally competitive pharmaceutical products focused on cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, and immune and inflammatory diseases. In particular, MTPC strategically focuses on drug discovery in the field of diabetes including a broad range of clinical states from metabolic risks (obesity/dyslipidemia) to complications (renal dysfunction/dialysis) and stroke including the total range of disease phases such as acute phase, convalescence and maintenance. MTPC is currently developing two Phase III clinical candidates in the U.S. and EU: MCI-196 for hyperphosphatemia and MP-146 for CKD.
MTPC, established through the merger of Tanabe Seiyaku Co., Ltd. and Mitsubishi Pharma Corporation in October 2007, is committed to protecting the health of people around the world and contributing to comfortable lifestyles through creating pharmaceuticals.
For more information, please visit the web site at www.mt-pharma.co.jp.
About deCODE chemistry & biostructures, Inc.
deCODE chemistry, Inc. & deCODE biostructures, Inc., www.decodechembio.com, are wholly-owned subsidiaries of deCODE genetics (NASDAQ: DCGN) providing contract research services to world-class pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, academic institutions, and government facilities. deCODE chemistry & biostructures takes a collaborative approach to pharmaceutical research services by combining the expertise of deCODE chemistry in drug discovery and development chemistry with the expertise of deCODE biostructures in structure determination of protein-ligand complexes. deCODE biostructures is one of the largest gene-to-structure contract research organizations in the US.
