US patent for the estrogen receptor beta

US PATENT FOR THE ESTROGEN RECEPTOR BETA

THE PATENT ENCOMPASSES THE ESTROGEN RECEPTOR BETA AND ITS USE IN DRUG
DISCOVERY AND DESIGN METHODS

Karo Bio today announces that the United States Patent and Trademark Office
has issued a key patent on the company’s novel estrogen receptor beta. The US
patent, together with a recently granted European patent, gives Karo Bio and
its partner, Merck & Co., Inc., a unique opportunity for the development of a
completely new class of selective pharmaceuticals in the area of women’s
health care.

“Karo Bio’s estrogen receptor beta target could lead to the development of a
new class of compounds that have application in a broad range of therapeutic
settings. This includes primary care markets such as hormone replacement
therapy, osteoporosis, breast cancer and cardiovascular disease”, says Per
Otteskog, Executive Vice President Research and Development of Karo Bio.

The patents granted by the Patent Offices in the United States and in Europe
give Karo Bio and Merck exclusive rights to the isolated receptor. Included
among the claims are uses in the discovery of new compounds targeting the
estrogen receptor beta.

The patent granted, significantly adds to Karo Bio’s extensive proprietary
technology in the estrogen field. The company was together with academic
collaborators first to identify the new estrogen receptor beta, and has been
the first to solve the three dimensional structure of both the estrogen
receptor alpha and beta with the natural hormone as well as numerous
structures with selective lead compounds.

The estrogen receptor beta has a unique distribution and function in different
tissues and organs. Extensive data developed by Karo Bio and its academic
collaborators suggests that the estrogen receptor beta also plays an important
role in many of the classical estrogen related diseases.

This gives a unique opportunity for the development of receptor sub-class-
selective compounds with improved specificity and safety profile with
applicability in an area where there is an unmet clinical need. It is also
anticipated that the new estrogen receptor will lead to the development of
therapies for new clinical uses where estrogens are not used today.

Nuclear receptors function as molecular locks for hormonal keys such as sex
hormones and thyroid hormones. The hormones activate the receptor to take part
in the regulation of certain genes, which play a central role in cell and
tissue functions. They are thus important pharmaceutical targets for
developing more effective pharmaceuticals.

For further information, please contact:

Per Otteskog, Executive Vice President Research & Development of Karo Bio,
Phone: +46/8/6086018
e-mail: per.otteskog@karobio.se

Karo Bio AB is a research based pharmaceutical company that develops drugs
that acts via nuclear receptors for the treatment of major diseases, such as
osteoporosis, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease and metabolic
disorders. The company has a leading position within this field, and
development programs are carried out in collaboration with international
pharmaceutical companies. Karo Bio has about 80 employees, and is located at
the Novum research complex adjacent to Huddinge University hospital. In
addition, Karo Bio has a subsidiary in San Francisco and a comprehensive,
international scientific network. The company is listed on the Stockholm Stock
Exchange and has collaboration agreements with Bristol-Myers Squibb and Merck
& Co.

Please visit our web site: www.karobio.se

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