US patent for the estrogen receptor beta

US PATENT FOR THE ESTROGEN RECEPTOR BETA THE PATENT ENCOMPASSES THE ESTROGEN RECEPTOR BETA AND ITS USE IN DRUG DISCOVERY AND DESIGN METHODS Karo Bio today announces that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a key patent on the company's novel estrogen receptor beta. The US patent, together with a recently granted European patent, gives Karo Bio and its partner, Merck & Co., Inc., a unique opportunity for the development of a completely new class of selective pharmaceuticals in the area of women's health care. "Karo Bio's estrogen receptor beta target could lead to the development of a new class of compounds that have application in a broad range of therapeutic settings. This includes primary care markets such as hormone replacement therapy, osteoporosis, breast cancer and cardiovascular disease", says Per Otteskog, Executive Vice President Research and Development of Karo Bio. The patents granted by the Patent Offices in the United States and in Europe give Karo Bio and Merck exclusive rights to the isolated receptor. Included among the claims are uses in the discovery of new compounds targeting the estrogen receptor beta. The patent granted, significantly adds to Karo Bio's extensive proprietary technology in the estrogen field. The company was together with academic collaborators first to identify the new estrogen receptor beta, and has been the first to solve the three dimensional structure of both the estrogen receptor alpha and beta with the natural hormone as well as numerous structures with selective lead compounds. The estrogen receptor beta has a unique distribution and function in different tissues and organs. Extensive data developed by Karo Bio and its academic collaborators suggests that the estrogen receptor beta also plays an important role in many of the classical estrogen related diseases. This gives a unique opportunity for the development of receptor sub-class- selective compounds with improved specificity and safety profile with applicability in an area where there is an unmet clinical need. It is also anticipated that the new estrogen receptor will lead to the development of therapies for new clinical uses where estrogens are not used today. Nuclear receptors function as molecular locks for hormonal keys such as sex hormones and thyroid hormones. The hormones activate the receptor to take part in the regulation of certain genes, which play a central role in cell and tissue functions. They are thus important pharmaceutical targets for developing more effective pharmaceuticals. For further information, please contact: Per Otteskog, Executive Vice President Research & Development of Karo Bio, Phone: +46/8/6086018 e-mail: per.otteskog@karobio.se Karo Bio AB is a research based pharmaceutical company that develops drugs that acts via nuclear receptors for the treatment of major diseases, such as osteoporosis, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders. The company has a leading position within this field, and development programs are carried out in collaboration with international pharmaceutical companies. Karo Bio has about 80 employees, and is located at the Novum research complex adjacent to Huddinge University hospital. In addition, Karo Bio has a subsidiary in San Francisco and a comprehensive, international scientific network. The company is listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange and has collaboration agreements with Bristol-Myers Squibb and Merck & Co. Please visit our web site: www.karobio.se ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/10/05/19991005BIT00140/bit0001.pdf http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/10/05/19991005BIT00140/bit0002.doc