Locus Pharmaceuticals Initiates Research Collaboration with Dow AgroSciences LLC
Locus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held pharmaceutical company focused on developing novel, small molecule therapeutics, announced today the initiation of a multi-stage research collaboration with Dow AgroSciences LLC, a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE:DOW), focused on agrochemicals and biotechnology innovation. As part of the collaboration, Locus will apply its proprietary computational technology to discover and develop novel small molecule compounds to treat fungal targets identified by Dow AgroSciences. This collaboration further expands Locus’ strategy to apply its novel technology across human, plant and animal health applications.
“We are pleased to have been selected by Dow AgroSciences, a leader in agrochemicals, to advance this important research program,” said Dr. Joseph Reiser, CEO of Locus. “Locus’ structure-based design technology offers a more targeted method to advance potential product candidates and this collaboration further affirms the broad applicability of our technology,” added Dr. Reiser.
Specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed by the companies. However, if the collaboration is successful, Locus will realize certain milestones and royalties and will have an exclusive option to human therapeutic applications.
“This collaboration represents an important new dimension to our efforts to exploit validated molecular target sites,” said Dr. Bill Kleschick, director of Discovery Research at Dow AgroSciences. “The Locus design technology combined with our experience in optimizing whole organism activity opens new opportunities to discover novel compounds to meet our customers’ needs.”
About Locus Pharmaceuticals
Locus Pharmaceuticals is a privately held pharmaceutical company that uses computational drug design technology to develop novel, small molecule therapeutics that meet major medical needs. Locus combines powerful and proprietary, fragment-based, computational technology with one of the world’s fastest Linux-based supercomputer clusters to simultaneously identify relevant binding sites on protein disease targets and rapidly generate novel, drug-like small molecules that bind specifically to those protein sites. Locus further enhances this process through its crystallography know-how to assure the most competitive outcome. In contrast to other drug discovery approaches, Locus technology requires only a high-resolution, three-dimensional structure of the target protein to implement its drug discovery process. Locus has successfully applied its computational drug design technology to internal research programs in cancer, AIDS and inflammation that are rapidly advancing toward clinical trials. Similarly, Locus is working with other partners on various drug targets. Visit www.locuspharma.com for more information.
About Dow AgroSciences
Dow AgroSciences LLC, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, is a global leader in providing pest management and biotechnology products that improve the quality and quantity of the earth’s food supply and contribute to the health and quality of life of the world’s growing population. Dow AgroSciences, the recipient of three Presidential Green Chemistry Awards and two Stratospheric Ozone Awards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is a recognized leader in the discovery and development of innovative products. Dow AgroSciences has approximately 5,700 people in over 50 countries dedicated to its business, and has worldwide sales of US $3 billion. Dow AgroSciences is a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. Visit www.dowagro.com for more information.
