EMERYVILLE, Calif., Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Thios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the signing of a licensing agreement with Wyeth granting Thios exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize the compound rPSGL-Ig, a recombinant form of the human PSGL-1 glycoprotein. Thios has renamed the rPSGL-Ig compound TS1.
"This agreement provides an important strategic opportunity for Thios to move quickly into clinical trials with a sulfated therapeutic. TS1 has an outstanding safety profile with over 500 patients treated safely, complements our existing pipeline of potential products and enhances our leadership position in the sulfation field," said Bruce A. Hironaka, president and chief executive officer of Thios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. "We intend to develop TS1 for a variety of indications, initially targeting the treatment of acute crisis in sickle cell disease and the prevention of delayed graft function following kidney transplantation. Our goal is to enter the clinic in both of these indications by year end."
Under the terms of the agreement, Thios obtains a broad, exclusive, worldwide license to develop and commercialize TS1. Financial terms were not disclosed.
About TS1
TS1 is a recombinant version of the human P-Selectin Glycoprotein Ligand 1 (PSGL-1), linked to the Fc portion of a human antibody. PSGL-1 extends from the surface of white blood cells or leukocytes, and helps the cells bind to the blood vessel wall in a process known as cell adhesion. PSGL-1 plays a critical role in the migration of these cells from the blood stream to the site of tissue damage and inflammation. This is an essential process in helping the body heal itself after an injury.
Importantly, in some instances this migration of leukocytes can be harmful. For example, in ischemia/reperfusion injury and vaso-occlusion, key factors in delayed graft function following kidney transplantation and acute sickle cell disease crises, respectively, the leukocytes that attach to the damaged blood vessels intensify local inflammation that causes additional tissue damage. TS1 protects the site of tissue damage by preventing leukocytes and platelets from adhering and causing inappropriate inflammation and/or thrombosis. TS1 may also have use in a number of other applications including other solid organ transplantations, deep vein thrombosis and arterial vascular diseases, including stroke.
About Thios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Thios Pharmaceuticals is the leader in the discovery, development and commercialization of proprietary therapies that target biological sulfation. Sulfation is known to be involved in the regulation of cellular interactions and cell-to-cell communication, offering therapeutic opportunities in specific diseases including inflammation, cancer and infectious disease. The biochemistry of sulfation is analogous to that of phosphorylation, a similar kind of molecular modification, which has yielded the kinase class of potential drug targets. While the kinases, which attach a phosphate group to proteins, have emerged over the last decade as one of the most exciting and prolific classes of biological targets, sulfation is rapidly emerging as an innovative field that has the potential to define the next decade of drug discovery research.
For more information, please visit the Thios website at http://www.thiospharm.com/.
Thios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.CONTACT: Bruce A. Hironaka, President and CEO of Thios Pharmaceuticals,Inc., bruce@thiospharm.com; or Susan Kinkead of KinkeadCommunications, +1-415-751-3612, or suzkinkead@aol.com, for ThiosPharmaceuticals
Web site: http://www.thiospharm.com/
