Norak Biosciences Licenses Transfluor(TM) Technology to Roche; Roche Will Use Transfluor(TM) as a High Throughput Screening (HTS) Assay to Discover G Protein-Coupled Receptor Active Compounds.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. -- Norak Biosciences, Inc. announced today the signing of a non-exclusive license agreement with Roche to utilize its Transfluor(TM) technology for G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) drug discovery. Under the terms of the agreement Norak will provide its Transfluor cell lines expressing GPCR targets of interest to Roche who will then use these Transfluor cell lines in a primary screen of its large compound library. Norak will also sublicense a green fluorescent protein (GFP) to Roche for use with Transfluor.


In addition to upfront cash, assay development fees and milestones, Norak will be able to access certain Roche data from screening with Transfluor, and benefit from its HTS know-how. Norak will provide its ongoing support and know how in cell biology for the benefit of Roche.


Transfluor utilizes a conjugate protein comprising an arrestin molecule fused with a GFP that may be stably expressed in several different human cell lines. The normal movement of arrestin in the cell may now be monitored by following the fluorescent conjugated protein. These cell lines are subsequently transfected with a GPCR target and used for either primary or secondary screening of diverse or focused chemical libraries to discover GPCR- based drug candidates.


"This important collaboration marks our third major drug discovery alliance this year and our first to exploit the ability of Transfluor to discover drugs that regulate orphan GPCRs," stated Dr. Roger D. Blevins, Norak's President and CEO. "This marks a significant accomplishment for Norak furthering our efforts to validate Transfluor within the high throughput screening market."


GPCRs are cell surface targets to which drugs bind to cause changes in intracellular function. As a class, GPCRs are historically the single richest receptor target for drug discovery, and account for the activity of nearly 60 percent of all prescription drugs on the market today.


Medications that treat conditions regulated by GPCRs cover most therapeutic areas and represent tens of billions in annual sales worldwide. However, the potential for GPCR-based drugs remains largely untapped since only about 200 of these important drug targets are functionally known. It is estimated that there may be as many as 200 additional so-called "orphan" GPCRs (functionally unknown), and over 600 "sensory" (taste and smell) GPCRs. As a result, most major pharmaceutical companies today have active GPCR drug discovery programs. 


For near-term growth and revenue, Norak is offering limited access to its technology to the pharmaceutical industry via licensing and collaborations. Norak believes these deals will provide early market validation of Transfluor as a discovery tool. For long-term growth and value, Norak has acquired compound libraries and HTS instrumentation to discover certain GPCR-based drugs for its own pipeline.


Norak's Transfluor(TM) technology is a patented, universal GPCR drug discovery technology designed to be the most direct and accurate method for screening potential drug candidates against GPCR targets, whether known or orphan. Transfluor was licensed in 1999 by Norak from technology developed at Duke University Medical School and represents the combined research into GPCR signaling pathways over several decades by Norak's scientific founders, Drs. Marc Caron, Robert Lefkowitz, and Larry Barak.


About Norak:
Norak Biosciences, Inc., headquartered in Research Triangle Park, NC, is a private biotechnology company. Norak is utilizing its proprietary Transfluor technology to become a world leader in the discovery and development of drugs that regulate G protein-coupled receptors. For more information about Norak Biosciences, Inc., please visit the Company's website at http://www.norakbio.com/.


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CONTACT: Terry E. Willard, Vice President of Corporate and Business Development of Norak Biosciences, Inc., +1-919-248-8000, ext. 8804, or fax, +1-919-248-8033, or email, twillard@norakbio.com
Web site: http://www.norakbio.com/