Receptos Determines Novel GPCR Structure, Achieves Key Milestone in Collaboration with Ono Pharmaceuticals

SAN DIEGO, March 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Receptos, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapeutic candidates directed to G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) targets, announced today that it has successfully determined a novel protein crystal structure of an undisclosed proprietary GPCR drug discovery target for Ono Pharmaceuticals.

In December 2011, Ono entered into a technology collaboration to access Receptos' proprietary GPCR structure determination technology platform, which enables rational drug design for the GPCR target class. The structure determination milestone represents the third significant milestone met under the terms of the collaboration, all of which have been achieved ahead of originally anticipated timelines. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"The timely delivery of a novel GPCR structure under the Ono-Receptos collaboration supports structure-based drug design efforts at Ono for an important therapeutic target," said Faheem Hasnain, President and Chief Executive Officer of Receptos. "This rapid success represents further endorsement of the robust nature of the Receptos GPCR structural biology expertise that underpins our proprietary platform technology."

"The novel GPCR structure determined through the collaboration will greatly accelerate our structure-based drug design," said Kazuhito Kawabata, Ph.D., Members of the Board of Directors, Executive Officer and Executive Director, Discovery and Research of Ono. "We have high regard for the Receptos' GPCR protein crystallization platform technology and recognize its potential to strengthen our drug discovery capabilities.  We are pleased to contribute to society through innovative drug discovery that can fulfill unmet medical needs."

The Ono collaboration milestone achievement builds on Receptos' exceptional track record for successful crystallography and structure determination. Receptos, together with scientific founder Raymond Stevens, Ph.D., and The Scripps Research Institute, has an unparalleled publication record that includes the identification of 15 distinct structures of eight unique receptors over the last five years.

About the Receptos GPCR Technology Platform
The Receptos GPCR drug discovery platform is differentiated to allow rapid generation of functional, stabilized target protein in as little as four months. In addition to crystal structure determination, this protein can be used in a variety of screening modes allowing identification of novel small molecule chemotypes or as antigen for the generation of therapeutic antibody candidates. The collaborative efforts of Receptos and The Scripps Research Institute have also resulted in significant advancements in protein engineering and the availability of a growing panel of proprietary, validated fusion proteins that enable crystallization of near wild-type GPCR domains. These successes are expanding the breadth of GPCR targets that are amenable to structure determination, including previously intractable targets.

Receptos has a broad patent estate directed to small molecule composition of matter and including patent applications to support the technology platform such as novel reagents to enable crystallography. Receptos has initiated three technology collaborations to conduct novel drug screening assays and study dynamic conformational changes to receptor topography that allow rational drug design for high‐value GPCR targets. Receptos is also pursuing new applications for the platform technology in the discovery and development of therapeutic antibody candidates directed to GPCR receptors.

About Receptos
Receptos is a biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutic candidates for the treatment of immune and metabolic diseases through information-driven drug discovery, including GPCR structure determination. The company's lead program, RPC1063, is a potential best-in-class sphingosine 1-phosphate 1 receptor (S1P1R) small molecule modulator for immune indications, including relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Receptos is currently enrolling patients into the randomized Phase 2 portion of a Phase 2/3 study examining the efficacy of RPC1063 in RMS and a randomized Phase 2 study examining the efficacy of RPC1063 in ulcerative colitis (UC). Receptos has established expertise in high resolution protein crystal structure determination, biology and drug discovery for G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). This expertise has formed the basis of collaborations with Eli Lilly and Ono Pharmaceutical and a partnership with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. For more information visit www.receptos.com.  

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SOURCE Receptos