SAN DIEGO, Calif.--Applying its proprietary protein-modeling technology to gene sequence data, Structural Bioinformatics here has developed a number of small-molecule nonpeptide lead molecules in multiple chemical classes that are active against the EPO receptor, the company announced recently. To find leads for a variety of structure-based drug design projects, Structural uses an analysis of target sites on a protein structure together with virtual screening. When no 3-D protein structure is available, analyses are performed on a high-quality protein model based in part on related protein structures and augmented with proprietary loop modeling and other refinements.
Edward Maggio, Structural's CEO, called the new development "another validation of our proprietary protein-modeling approach to drug design that permits rapid generation of novel leads from gene sequence for which no protein crystal structures are available."