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"We are delighted to expand our existing agreement with CalciMedica,marking another step forward in our strategy to monetize non-core assets andfocus our resources on rapidly advancing our clinical stage productcandidates," said Ev Graham, acting Chief Executive Officer of TorreyPines."CalciMedica, an emerging leader in novel immunomodulator research, is wellpositioned to explore the full potential of this exciting technology and welook forward to their continued progress."
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CalciMedica's technology platform is based on exploiting theimmunomodulatory potential of intervening in the Icrac cell signaling immuneresponse pathway by targeting Orai1 and STIM1, the principal components of theCRAC channel complex. CalciMedica's drug discovery efforts were initiated in2007 with the successful acquisition of exclusive rights to Orai1 in allfields from the Immune Disease Institute (formerly The CBR Institute forBiomedical Research), an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, and theacquisition of rights to STIM1 from TorreyPines Therapeutics in fieldsexcluding CNS.
"Acquiring additional rights to STIM1 technology and CRAC channelinhibitors completes our ownership of fields of use covering all therapeuticareas, now including the development of novel immunomodulators to treatimportant CNS diseases such as multiple sclerosis," said Gonul Velicelebi,Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of CalciMedica. "Over the lastyear, CalciMedica has made significant progress in integrating this technologyinto its proprietary drug discovery platform and generating a pipeline ofnovel small molecule immunomodulators that have potential utility in a broadrange of diseases."
About CalciMedica
CalciMedica is a leader in the area of calcium release-activated calcium(CRAC) channels, a key component of the Icrac pathway in immune cells. TheIcrac calcium entry pathway is essential for the adaptive immune response, andhas been validated as an important drug target in humans. CalciMedica utilizesits platform based on STIM1 and Orai1, the gatekeepers of the CRAC channels,to discover and develop novel small molecule drugs for the treatment ofautoimmune and inflammatory diseases. CalciMedica is funded by investmentsfrom SR One and Sanderling Ventures. The company is located in La Jolla,California. For more information, please contact CalciMedica [email protected].
About TorreyPines Therapeutics, Inc.
TorreyPines Therapeutics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company committed toproviding patients with better alternatives to existing therapies through theresearch, development and commercialization of small molecule compounds. Thecompany's goal is to develop versatile product candidates, each capable oftreating a number of acute and chronic diseases and disorders such asmigraine, chronic pain, muscle spasticity, xerostomia and cognitive disorders.The company is currently developing three product candidates: two ionotropicglutamate receptor antagonists and one muscarinic receptor agonist. Furtherinformation is available at http://www.torreypinestherapeutics.com.TorreyPines Contacts: CalciMedica Contact: Paul Schneider (company) Gonul Velicelebi TorreyPines Therapeutics, Inc. CalciMedica, Inc 858-623-5665 x 125 858-952-5501 [email protected] [email protected] Rhonda Chiger (investors) (917) 322-2569 [email protected]
SOURCE TorreyPines Therapeutics, Inc.
