If this is not your name, click here.
| | If this is not your name, click here. | | |
| | Contact Us | Order Now | Journals | Bookstore | Register a colleague | | |
| |  Key Antigen in Rheumatoid Arthritis Identified REDWOOD CITY, Calif., June 4, 1997 -- Researchers at NV Organon in The Netherlands have identified a key antigen which may have potential in developing specific, potent therapeutics for rheumatoid arthritis. Results from preclinical studies identifying this target protein were published in the June 1997 issue of the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism. Researchers demonstrated that HC (Human Cartilage) gp-39 is recognized by T cells from rheumatoid arthritis patients. T cell immunity against HC gp-39 in mice is associated with arthritis. The HC gp-39 protein has the potential to block arthritis in the mouse model. This antigen is a central component in a therapeutic being developed for Organon by Anergen, Inc. using its proprietary AnergiX(TM) technology. Historically, specific antigens involved in rheumatoid arthritis have been difficult to isolate. Identification of a candidate peptide from such an antigen would be an important step in development of therapeutics to treat the cause of this disease, rather than just the symptoms. As described in today's publication, the research team at Organon was the first to identify and characterize a peptide from HC gp-39 believed to be involved in the progression of rheumatoid arthritis. Anergen's AnergiX technology combines disease-specific auto-antigenic peptides and disease-associated HLA-derived proteins -- two of the three elements that activate T cells. AnergiX-based compounds are designed to bind to and deactivate the disease-specific T cells. Continuing preclinical studies on HC gp-39 and Anergen's technologies currently in clinical development were presented last month at the Fourth International Symposium on Immunotherapy of Arthritic Disease in Cyprus by both Ton Rijnders, Ph.D., Organon's Head of the Department of Immunology, a study participant and Jeffrey L. Winkelhake, Ph.D., Vice President of Pharmaceutical Development at Anergen. Dr. Rijnders described the development of animal and in vivo models for evaluating the HC gp-39 peptide, while Dr. Winkelhake described analytical approaches used to evaluate the biologic effects of Anergen's products currently in clinical trials. Organon is one of the pharmaceutical business units of Akzo Nobel. Akzo Nobel, headquartered in The Netherlands, is one of the world's leading companies in selected areas of chemicals, coatings, healthcare products, and fibers. Anergen, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on advancing the treatment of autoimmnune diseases. It is developing proprietary biopharmaceutical compounds designed to selectively interrupt antigen presentation or inactivate T cells in the immune system that mediate the disease process. Anergen is headquartered in Redwood City, Ca.
|
