Lexicon, Genentech Pact Yields Potential Drug Targets

Lexicon Genetics released data highlighting potential therapeutic targets related to its collaboration with Genentech. These target discoveries were made through the collaboration between the two companies that was initiated in December 2002 and expanded in November 2005 to advance the R&D and commercialization of new biologic drugs. Lexicon has developed antibodies for one of these targets, designated LG842, which it is now advancing through preclinical research.

The data revealed that the neutralization of LG842, a circulating protein expressed predominantly in adipose tissue, placenta, pancreas and liver, resulted in lower triglycerides and cholesterol in in vivo models. In preclinical studies, LG842 was shown to decrease plasma triglycerides and cholesterol. Lexicon has the option to choose six targets from the collaboration to advance into biotherapeutics drug discovery efforts. LG842 was one of the first two targets selected by Lexicon for internal development.

“Our in vivo studies, recently corroborated by human genetic data, have defined an important new pathway for potential treatments of dyslipidemia and metabolic disorders related to cardiovascular disease,” commented Brian P. Zambrowicz, Ph.D., Lexicon’s chief scientific officer. “We believe that our collaboration with Genentech has been enormously fruitful. We have been able to elucidate the function of a number of genes that have shown promise in important areas of medicine.”