COMPANY OVERVIEW
Icagen is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel small molecule drugs that modulate ion channel targets. The company has developed an integrated technology platform that allows for the efficient discovery of drug leads.
Ion channels are protein structures found in virtually every cell of the human body. Ion channels span the cell membrane and regulate the flow of ions, which are charged particles such as sodium, potassium, calcium and chloride, into and out of cells. There are currently 35 drugs that modulate ion channels and are marketed by third parties for multiple therapeutic indications.
Key elements of our ion channel technology include our cloning of over 300 human ion channel genes, which we believe represents substantially all of the human ion channel genome; expertise in developing high throughput screens for ion channel targets; ion channel focused chemistry libraries of over 250,000 compounds; proprietary computational chemistry methods; an extensive ion channel database, which integrates biological and chemical information about our targets and compounds; pharmacology and bioanalytic capabilities; and an extensive intellectual property portfolio
consisting of approximately 60 United States patents and approximately 60 United States patent applications as well as numerous foreign counterparts. By integrating a number of scientific and drug development disciplines, we are able to efficiently discover and develop small molecule compounds that are more specific for the medically relevant ion channel, and therefore have a reduced likelihood of adverse side effects and clinical failure.
We pursue a target class approach to ion channel drug discovery. In this approach, we start with all potential ion channel targets and seek to identify applications to the treatment of various diseases. We believe that our approach provides for a more efficient drug discovery process, because our in-depth understanding of the targets and methods for finding small molecule modulators of these targets obviates the need to develop new research tools each time a new target is identified. Instead, we use our knowledge and skill to quickly find potential small molecule modulators of particular ion channel targets. We then use these small molecules to validate the particular target in a relevant animal model of disease. If a small molecule demonstrates activity in the animal model, it both validates the target and provides a starting point for further medicinal chemistry efforts.
Utilizing our proprietary know-how and integrated scientific and drug development capabilities, we have identified multiple drug candidates that modulate ion channels.
Icagen is conducting clinical and preclinical studies in its core focus areas, which include the following:
ICA-105665 has completed two Phase I clinical studies. Proof of concept trials
in patients with photosensitive Epilepsy and in volunteers subject to mildly
painful stimuli are ongoing. ICA-105665 is a novel opener of the KCNQ ion
channel which in preclinical studies has demonstrated a broad spectrum of
activity in models of epilepsy. In addition, ICA-105665 has also demonstrated
activity in certain models of pain.
Icagen has a broad research effort directed at novel ion channel targets for
pain control. In August, 2007,Icagen recently entered into a collaboration with
Pfizer for the discovery and development of novel pharmaceuticals directed
against three sodium channel targets. In addition, Icagen is pursuing
research directed at multiple ion channel targets in its pain control program.
Icagen has a broad research effort directed at novel ion channel targets for
inflammatory disorders. As a result, Icagen has identified several ion channel
targets that are expressed at high levels in some immune system cells and
that may play an important role in modulating the inflammatory response.
Icagen has discovered compounds that are active in vitro against some of
these targets, leading to decreases in calcium entry into immune system
cells, decreases in immune system cell proliferation, decreases in immune
system cell migration into tissues and other measures of inflammatory
responses. Icagen has also demonstrated effects of our compounds in
animal models of inflammatory diseases
In addition to the areas noted above, Icagen is continuing to explore the human ion channel genome, for which it has completed the cloning of all human ion channel genes, to identify new therapeutic opportunities.
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