Forge Therapeutics and Active Motif to Collaborate on Epigenetic Research and Drug Discovery

SAN DIEGO, March 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Forge Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company discovering innovative therapeutics using a breakthrough drug discovery platform targeting metalloproteins, and Active Motif, a leader in developing tools to enable epigenetics research, announced today a research collaboration aimed at advancing epigenetic research related to the family of iron-containing lysine demethylases known as Jumonji KDMs. 

The companies aim to validate emerging epigenetic targets for oncology indications and demonstrate the 'drugability' of Jumonji KDMs. The research collaboration will combine Forge's expertise in the field of metalloenzymes and Active Motif's expertise in epigenetics and related technologies.

"Other epigenetic targets such as histone deacetylases and methyl transferases have been validated therapeutically, however the Jumonji KDM family has been lagging behind due to a lack of suitable chemistry and limited biological tools available to early-stage companies," said Zachary A. Zimmerman, Ph.D., CEO of Forge Therapeutics. "The Forge drug discovery engine has generated several full length inhibitors that are selective and potent for individual KDMs and subfamilies of KDMs, and we look forward to probing epigenetic biology using Active Motif's suite of technologies."

"Active Motif's expertise in epigenetic research tools and complex epigenetic analysis combined with the prowess of Forge Therapeutics to quickly generate compounds that specifically inhibit epigenetic modifying proteins positions this collaboration to become a preeminent epigenetic drug discovery effort," said Joseph M. Fernandez, CEO of Active Motif. "This cutting-edge research aims to help advance novel therapeutics for oncology indications."

About Forge Therapeutics, Inc.
Forge Therapeutics, Inc. ("Forge") is a biotechnology start-up that leverages its novel chemistry platform to develop small molecule inhibitors to target metalloproteins. Metalloproteins are proteins that require metal ions for their biological function and make up over 1/3 of the proteins in the human body. Forge uses a proprietary approach comprised of molecular modeling for rational drug design along with fundamental knowledge and expertise in bioinorganic chemistry to target metalloproteins. The name Forge Therapeutics comes from two definitions for forge: to manipulate (inhibit) a metal object (metalloprotein) and to move forward steadily with a purpose (the Forge team). Forge Therapeutics, Inc., maintains its headquarters in San Diego, California. To learn more please visit www.ForgeTherapeutics.com

About Active Motif
Active Motif is the industry leader in developing and delivering innovative tools to enable epigenetics and gene regulation research for the life science, clinical and pharmaceutical and drug discovery communities. Active Motif operates globally through its corporate headquarters in Carlsbad, California, regional headquarters in Belgium, Japan and China, as well as a worldwide network of sales and support offices. Active Motif applies a multi-disciplinary approach to create new and modify existing technologies to meet the current and future needs of life science researchers. To learn more please visit http://www.activemotif.com

Contact:
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SOURCE Forge Therapeutics, Inc.

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http://www.ForgeTherapeutics.com