The following is excerpted from an article on PRNewswire,
January 8. The full report can be found at:
http://www.prnewswire.com/newshealthcare.html
(This is an interesting site to browse through for
announcements of new research initiatives by the pharmaceutical
industry.)
Does anyone know more about calcium channels or the role of
calcium in PD?
Linda Herman
[log in to unmask]
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SIBIA NEUROSCIENCES AND ELI LILLY EXTEND COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH
AGREEMENT FOR DISCOVERY OF CALCIUM CHANNEL DRUGS
"LA JOLLA, Calif., Jan. 8/PRNewswire/--SIBIA Neurosciences, Inc.
and Eli Lilly & Company today announced that they have signed an
agreement extending their collaborative research in the area of
neuronal voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs). Under the new
agreement, Lilly will provide research funding for the
identification and characterization of a new VGCC subtype for use
in the discovery of drugs for central nervous system disorders.
...."
"VGCCs are one of the pathways through which calcium ions
enter neurons, or nerve cells. While calcium is vital to normal
cell function, controlling communication between neurons and in
some cases enzyme and gene activation, excess calcium can kill
nerve cells. Controlling the level of calcium within neurons
offers a potential therapeutic approach to many nervous system
disorders including stroke, epilepsy, pain, Parkinson's disease,
Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. SIBIA has discovered,
isolated and developed an extensive library of genes cloned from
human brain tissue coding for many of the numerous and diverse
VGCC subtypes, and expressed these subtypes in stable cell lines.
Each subtype potentially represents a novel molecular target for
developing therapeutic compounds for nervous system disorders....
SIBIA Neurosciences, Inc. is engaged in the discovery and
development of novel, small molecule therapeutics for nervous
system disorders based on its unique approach to characterizing
the molecular processes involved in such disorders. SIBIA is
focusing its efforts on developing compounds for the treatment of
Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, head trauma,
epilepsy, chronic pain, schizophrenia and other disorders. The
company currently has collaborations with Eli Lilly and Company,
Ciba (Novartis) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company...."
"CONTACT: William T. Comer, PhD., President and Chief Executive
Officer of Michael J. Dunn, Vice President, Business Development
of SIBIA 619-452-5892."
