January 6, 2004 – Research Triangle Park, NC - Norak Biosciences, Inc. today announced it has entered a Research Evaluation Agreement with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at Bethesda and Frederick, MD.   The agreement will allow NCI to evaluate Transfluor® for screening several G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) cancer targets to find potential drug leads.   The financial terms were not disclosed.

The NCI coordinates the National Cancer Program, which conducts and supports research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to the cause, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer. The Molecular Targets Discovery Program (MTDP), within the Center for Cancer Research, NCI, facilitates the discovery of compounds that may serve as bioprobes for functional genomics, proteomics, and molecular target validation research, as well as leads or candidates for cancer drug development. For more information, visit the MTDP web site at http://home.ncifcrf.gov/mtdp/index.html.

“We are delighted that NCI has shown interest in evaluating the value of Transfluor in the screening of cancer targets,” commented Dr. Roger D. Blevins, President and CEO of Norak. “GPCRs are potentially important cancer targets that have yet to be fully exploited.”

Norak's Transfluor® technology is a patented, universal GPCR drug discovery technology designed to be the most accurate method for discovering ligands for GPCR targets, whether known or orphan.   Transfluor® was exclusively licensed in 1999 by Norak from technology developed at Duke University Medical Center and represents the combined research into GPCR signaling pathways over several decades by Norak's scientific founders, Drs. Marc Caron, Robert Lefkowitz, and Larry Barak.

Norak Biosciences, Inc., headquartered in Research Triangle Park, NC, is a private biotechnology company.   Norak is utilizing its proprietary Transfluor® technology to become a worldwide leader in the discovery and development of drugs that regulate G protein-coupled receptors. For more information about Norak Biosciences, Inc., please visit the Company's website at http://www.norakbio.com .

Contact:

Terry E. Willard
Executive Vice President
Norak Biosciences, Inc.
7030 Kit Creek Road
Morrisville, NC 27560
Phone: 919 248 8000 x8804
Fax: 919 248 8033
twillard@norakbio.com

Back to Portfolio News