Emerald BioStructures, a leading provider of integrated structural
biology services, and SomaLogic, Inc., a diagnostics and biomarker
discovery company, today announced that they have entered into a
strategic collaboration for the structure-based design of chemically
modified DNA aptamers (SOMAmers) and small molecule therapeutics,
based on crystal structures of important protein targets bound to high
affinity SOMAmers. The research collaboration will leverage Emeralds
high-throughput X-ray crystallography expertise with SomaLogics
proprietary SOMAmer technology. The characterized SOMAmers, due to their
exquisite affinity for protein drug targets, will have a broad range of
potential uses in diagnostics and pharmaceutical research and
development.
“Our ongoing relationship with Emerald gives us the advantage
of structural insight to design improved SOMAmers for both diagnostic
and drug discovery applications.”
Emerald BioStructures has a world-class track record in structure
determination of complex protein-nucleic acid assemblies. As such,
Emerald is the ideal partner for elucidating the secrets of multiple
SOMAmer-target structures, said Nebojsa Janjic, Chief Science Officer
of SomaLogic. Emeralds structural insights will drive rapid
optimization of new SOMAmers for both diagnostics and drug discovery.
This multi-target, multi-year collaboration builds on a successful
collaborative achievement between the two companies in 2009, which led
to the unravelling of the first X-ray structure of a novel, high-value
SOMAmer bound to its protein target. This structure allowed us to see
for the first time several novel structural themes that can be achieved
with SOMAmer technology, which explains the very high affinity and
unique properties of our chemically modified DNA aptamers for their
protein targets, noted Larry Gold, Chief Executive Officer of
SomaLogic. Our ongoing relationship with Emerald gives us the advantage
of structural insight to design improved SOMAmers for both diagnostic
and drug discovery applications.
Lance Stewart, Chief Executive Officer of Emerald BioStructures, said,
Emerald has a track record of investing in technology developments that
help unlock structural insights into allosteric mechanisms in high value
protein targets. SomaLogics powerful aptamer reagents are having a
great impact in the field of biomarker discovery and diagnostics. We are
confident that the elucidation of SOMAmers bound to their protein
targets will enable structure-guided design of novel small molecule
modulators of protein structure.
Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but the
collaboration will support work on multiple targets.
About Emerald BioStructures
Emerald BioStructures is an integrated gene-to-structure contract
research organization that provides collaborative drug discovery
services to pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, academic
institutions, and government facilities. The company operates a
high-throughput platform leveraged for fragment-based lead discovery and
structure-based drug design. Emeralds work provides a solid foundation
for the discovery of highly selective, efficacious drugs. www.emeraldbiostructures.com
About SomaLogic
SomaLogic is a privately-held biomarker discovery and clinical
proteomics company based in Boulder, Colorado. The companys mission is
to use its proprietary SOMAmer technology to develop enhanced protein
analysis tools and reagents for the life sciences community, to
facilitate target validation, and to develop and commercialize clinical
diagnostic products that will improve the delivery of healthcare by
offering timely and accurate diagnostic information to physicians and
their patients. Further information about SomaLogic can be found at www.somalogic.com.
Source: Business Wire
