Axiom Biotechnologies signs drug discovery collaboration with Zaiya Inc., Japan; multi-million dollar research pact seeks to identify drug candidates to block allergy, asthma and inflammation.SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 23, 1996--Privately held Axiom axiom, in mathematics and logic, general statement accepted without proof as the basis for logically deducing other statements (theorems). Examples of axioms used widely in mathematics are those related to equality (e.g. Biotechnologies Inc. Monday announced that it has entered into a research collaboration with Zaiya Inc. of Japan to identify small organic-molecule antagonists antagonists, n muscles that counterbalance agonists during specific movements. opioid Neurology A pain-attenuating peptide that occurs naturally in the brain, which induces analgesia by mimicking endogenous opioids at opioid of a critical intracellular signaling pathway implicated im·pli·cate tr.v. im·pli·cat·ed, im·pli·cat·ing, im·pli·cates 1. To involve or connect intimately or incriminatingly: evidence that implicates others in the plot. 2. in allergy, asthma and inflammation. Under terms of the multi-year agreement Axiom will receive research funding Research funding is a term generally covering any funding for scientific research, in the areas of both "hard" science and technology and social science. The term often connotes funding obtained through a competitive process, in which potential research projects are evaluated and , milestone payments and royalties on marketed products. In exchange, Zaiya will receive exclusive worldwide rights to all lead drug candidates that result from the collaborative research effort. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. "Axiom's mission is to provide its research and development partners with better, faster and smarter ways of discovering new drug candidates," said Jim Linton, Ph.D., Axiom's director of business development. "This agreement reflects our commitment to that mission in a way that provides Axiom with sufficient capital for near-term growth and longer term profit opportunity based upon successful identification of promising lead compounds." "Through extensive gene discovery research programs sponsored by Zaiya, specific protein-protein interactions have been identified which appear to be extremely important in signal transduction Signal transduction The transmission of molecular signals from a cell's exterior to its interior. Molecular signals are transmitted between cells by the secretion of hormones and other chemical factors, which are then picked up by different cells. pathways relating to relating to relate prep → concernant relating to relate prep → bezüglich +gen, mit Bezug auf +acc allergy, asthma and inflammation," said Hiroki Yoshihara, president of Zaiya. "Combining these discoveries with Axiom's molecular design and HT-PS screening capabilities, we believe that we can accelerate the process of identifying specific drug candidates that can regulate these critical signaling pathways." Specifically, the research collaboration will seek to identify novel small organic molecule compounds which act as antagonists, or inhibitors, of the molecular interaction between the CD40 receptor and one of its associated intracellular signaling proteins. CD40 is a cell surface receptor located on B-cells that is activated when it is bound by its ligand ligand (lĭg`ənd), charged or uncharged molecule with one or more unshared pairs of electrons that can attach to a central metallic atom or ion to form an aggregate known as a complex ion (see chemical bond). , CD40L. CD40L binding to the CD40 receptor activates certain CD40-associated proteins which play an essential role in the induction of T-cell dependent antibody formation and immunoglobulin class switching Immunoglobulin class switching (or isotype switching or Isotypic Commutation) is a biological mechanism that changes an antibody from one class to another, for example, from an isotype called IgM to an isotype called IgG. . As such, targeting the CD40 signaling pathway will lead to novel therapeutic agents for allergy, asthma and inflammation. Zaiya has an exclusive worldwide license to several CD40-associated genes. "This collaboration truly reflects the power of our integrated structure-based design and high through-put pharmacological screening (HT-PS) technologies," said Pandi Veerapandian, Ph.D., president of Axiom. "By integrating these powerful platform technologies Axiom can rapidly identify novel organic small-molecule drug candidates for a wide variety of biological targets, including the products of newly discovered genes, well-defined molecular protein targets or orphan receptors." Zaiya is a development-stage biotechnology company established in Japan to discover novel drug candidates for regulating intracellular signaling pathways, including those involved in apoptosis apoptosis or programmed cell death Mechanism that allows cells to self-destruct when stimulated by the appropriate trigger. It may be initiated when a cell is no longer needed, when a cell becomes a threat to the organism's health, or for other reasons. , or programmed "cell death". Through strategic collaborations with the most advanced academic research institutes and cutting edge biopharmaceutical companies in drug discovery, Zaiya provides proprietary value-added drug development opportunities for pharmaceutical companies worldwide. Axiom Biotechnologies is a privately held biotechnology company committed to developing better, faster and smarter methods of drug discovery. The company has developed a new screening technology, called high through-put pharmacological screening (HT-PS), that allows the physiological responses of natural target cells to be monitored in the drug screening process. Through the company's integrated molecular optimization process and HT-PS, active compounds can be rapidly identified, optimized and evaluated. It is Axiom's goal to apply these technologies to become a leading research and development partner for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies Top 100 Biotechnology Companies The following is a list of the top 100 biotechnology companies ranked by revenue. The first nine companies qualify for the list of the top 50 pharmaceutical companies. in the field of drug discovery. CONTACT: Axiom Biotechnologies Inc., San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. James Linton, 619/455-4500 |
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