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Addex Scientists Discover Glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) Induced Interaction Between GLP-1 and Gastric Inhibitory Peptide (GIP) Receptors

Addex Pharmaceuticals /
Addex Scientists Discover Glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) Induced Interaction
Between GLP-1 and Gastric Inhibitory Peptide (GIP) Receptors
. Verarbeitet und übermittelt durch Thomson Reuters ONE.
Für den Inhalt der Mitteilung ist der Emittent verantwortlich.

The Addex Allosteric Modulator Platform Enabled Breakthrough Discovery,
Advancing the Understanding of GLP-1 Mediated GPCR Signaling

Geneva, Switzerland, 28 November 2011 - Addex Pharmaceuticals (SIX:ADXN), a
leading biopharmaceutical company pioneering allosteric modulation-based drug
discovery and development, announced today that its scientists have demonstrated
that, in the presence of GLP-1, glucagon-like-peptide-1 receptor (GLP1R) can
form a heterodimer receptor complex with gastric-inhibitory-peptide-receptor
(GIPR). The discovery of this novel interaction between the two G-protein-
coupled receptors (GPCR) has the potential to trigger the discovery of novel
therapies for the treatment of diabetes. The findings were published online in
the peer-reviewed journal Molecular Pharmacology (Lateral Allosterism in the
Glucagon Receptor Family: GLP-1 Induces GPCR Heteromer Formation [Schelshorn et
al., Molecular Pharmacology, Published online, doi: 10.1124/mol.111.074757]).

"GIPR and GLP1R are found together in pancreatic and nerve cells, and their
roles in Type 2 diabetes make them important targets for drug development.
Further research is needed to determine the pharmacological relevance of such
heteromers but understanding their role may open the door to more refined
therapies, particularly in metabolic disorders," explained Robert Lutjens, head
of biology at Addex Pharmaceuticals and co-author of the publication. "This
study demonstrates that Addex' allosteric modulation platform is a powerful tool
for elucidating fundamental biological processes in addition to being the most
sensitive method available for identifying allosteric modulators."

In the present study, the researchers at Addex used Bioluminescence Resonance
Energy Transfer (BRET) techniques, calcium flux measurements, and microscopy to
study receptor interactions within the glucagon receptor family of GPCRs.
Through these techniques, a GLP-1-induced heteromer formation was exclusively
observed in cells co-expressing GLP-1 with GIP receptors, but not with other
receptors of the glucagon receptor subtypes. Furthermore, the pharmacology of
this GLP-1-induced heteromeric receptor complex was found to be affected in
presence of GIP. In addition, the heteromer's intracellular signaling through
beta-arrestin or calcium second messenger was shown to be modified when compared
to receptor homodimers, suggesting a form of allosteric regulation between the
receptors.

"This research demonstrates how our pioneering allostery platform technology is
able to observe specific interactions at the receptor level that have not been
seen with conventional state-of-the-art techniques," noted Laurent Galibert,
head of metabolic disease programs at Addex Pharmaceuticals. "An orally
available small molecule targeting GLP1R would have a significant impact on the
treatment of Type 2 diabetes. We now have the opportunity to explore and
characterize this receptor further, paving the way for a better understanding of
the signaling pathways implicated in diabetes and metabolism, which may offer
novel therapeutic targets for allosteric modulation."

GLP-1 is an important metabolic hormone and a proven therapeutic ligand for
treatment of diseases, such as Type II diabetes and obesity. Addex is leading
the effort towards the development of orally available small molecule GLP1R
activators, called positive allosteric modulators or PAM, which have potential
to offer multiple advantages over marketed injectable peptide therapeutics
targeting GLP1R.

Addex has previously disclosed that it achieved the first in vivo preclinical
proof of concept demonstrating that an oral small molecule GLP1R PAM could
increase the release of insulin and improve glucose control in preclinical
diabetes models. Addex GLP1R PAMs are in lead generation phase for Type 2
diabetes and could become the first-in-class orally available small molecule
therapeutic agents against this target.

Addex Pharmaceuticals (www.addexpharma.com) discovers and develops an emerging
class of small molecule drugs, called allosteric modulators, which have the
potential to be more specific and confer significant therapeutic advantages over
conventional "orthosteric" small molecule or biological drugs. The Company uses
its proprietary discovery platform to address receptors and other proteins that
are recognized as attractive targets for modulation of important diseases with
unmet medical needs. The Company's two lead products are being investigated in
Phase IIa clinical testing: dipraglurant (ADX48621, an mGluR5 negative
allosteric modulator or NAM) is being developed by Addex to treat Parkinson's
disease levodopa-induced dyskinesia (PD-LID); and ADX71149 (mGluR2 positive
allosteric modulator or PAM) is being developed by our partner Janssen
Pharmaceuticals Inc. to treat schizophrenia. Addex also is advancing several
preclinical programs including: GABA-BR PAM for pain, overactive bladder and
other disorders; mGluR4 PAM for Parkinson's, anxiety and other diseases; GLP1R
PAM for Type 2 diabetes; mGluR2 NAM for treating Alzheimer's disease and
depression; and FSHR/LHR NAM for sex hormone dependent tumors & reproductive
system disorders. In addition, Addex has discovery programs to identify
allosteric modulators of: receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) superfamily, including
TrkB PAM for treating neurodegenerative diseases (e.g. Alzheimer's, Parkinson's
and Huntington's diseases); and TNF receptor superfamily, including TNFR1 NAM
for inflammation (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis) and other diseases.

Chris Maggos
Business Development & Communication
Addex Pharmaceuticals
+41 22 884 15 11
chris.maggos(at)addexpharma.com

Disclaimer: The foregoing release may contain forward-looking statements that
can be identified by terminology such as "not approvable", "continue",
"believes", "believe", "will", "remained open to exploring", "would", "could",
or similar expressions, or by express or implied discussions regarding Addex
Pharmaceuticals Ltd, its business, the potential approval of its products by
regulatory authorities, or regarding potential future revenues from such
products. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of Addex
Pharmaceuticals Ltd regarding future events, future economic performance or
prospects, and, by their very nature, involve inherent risks and uncertainties,
both general and specific, whether known or unknown, and/or any other factor
that may materially differ from the plans, objectives, expectations, estimates
and intentions expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Such may
in particular cause actual results with allosteric modulators of mGluR2, mGluR4,
mGluR5, GABABR, FSHR/LHR, GLP1R, TNFR1, RTK, TrkB or other therapeutic targets
to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements
expressed or implied by such statements. There can be no guarantee that
allosteric modulators of mGluR2, mGluR4, mGluR5, GABABR, FSHR/LHR, GLP1R, TNFR1,
RTK, TrkB or other therapeutics targets will be approved for sale in any market
or by any regulatory authority. Nor can there be any guarantee that allosteric
modulators of mGluR2, mGluR4, mGluR5, GABABR,  FSHR/LHR,  GLP1R, TNFR1, RTK,
TrkB or other therapeutic targets will achieve any particular levels of revenue
(if any) in the future. In particular, management's expectations regarding
allosteric modulators of mGluR2, mGluR4, mGluR5, GABABR,  FSHR/LHR, GLP1R,
TNFR1, RTK, TrkB or other therapeutic targets could be affected by, among other
things, unexpected actions by our partners, unexpected regulatory actions or
delays or government regulation generally; unexpected clinical trial results,
including unexpected new clinical data and unexpected additional analysis of
existing clinical data; competition in general; government, industry and general
public pricing pressures; the company's ability to obtain or maintain patent or
other proprietary intellectual property protection. Should one or more of these
risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove
incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, believed,
estimated or expected. Addex Pharmaceuticals Ltd is providing the information in
this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to
update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required
by applicable laws.


--- Ende der Mitteilung ---

Addex Pharmaceuticals
12, chemin des Aulx Plan-les-Ouates; Geneva Schweiz

ISIN: CH0029850754;




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Source: Addex Pharmaceuticals via Thomson Reuters ONE

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