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Proteologics Granted First siRNA Patent in the Ubiquitin Ligase Field
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Rehovot, Israel -- Proteologics Inc. (www.proteologics.com) today announced that it has been granted United States Patent No. 7,268,227 relating to its leading antiviral program. This patent broadly covers siRNA molecules that can inhibit, or "silence" the expression of Proteologics' antiviral drug target, hPOSH - a human protein that was characterized by Proteologics as a ubiquitin ligase essential for HIV biogenesis. Proteologics has anti-viral drug discovery programs based on proprietary research of host-protein ubiquitin-ligase drug targets shown to be essential for the HIV life cycle. Proteologics strategy is to target human pathways evolutionarily required for viral biogenesis consequently preventing completion of the viral life cycle in human cells. This new approach allows Proteologics to develop drugs that have not been previously encountered by viruses. Such new drugs are expected to be more effective than current therapies against the problematic emergence of viral resistance.
Mr. Avishai Levy, CEO and President said, "The granting of this patent is an additional achievement in the execution of our corporate strategy to generate value for our shareholders by leveraging our Discovery Platform in the ubiquitin system. Even though we are focused on the development of novel small molecule-based therapeutics, the methodology we employ allows us to generate valuable IP throughout the discovery process as well. The granting of broad substance-of-matter claims for therapeutic siRNA constructs relating to our antiviral drug discovery program provides further reassurance and increases our value proposition."
About Proteologics
Proteologics is a leader in investigating the ubiquitin system for the discovery and development of new therapeutics, focusing mainly on ubiquitin ligase (E3) targets. Drs. Avram Hershko and Aaron Ciechanover, who were awarded the 2004 Nobel Prize in chemistry for their discovery of the ubiquitin system, lead the company's scientific advisory board. Proteologics' Rational Target & Drug Discovery Platform has already yielded several promising novel drug targets as well as small molecule inhibitors. A novel small molecule antiviral lead developed by Proteologics is currently in animal studies. This lead is the first in a series of small molecule "Ubiquitination Inhibitors" that inhibits viral infection by intervention with a proprietary and novel biochemical pathway elucidated by the Proteologics team of scientists.
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