Zenobia, Lundbeck enter research collaboration for LRRK2 Parkinson's disease target

Dec 16 2010

Zenobia Therapeutics, Inc. (Zenobia) the leader in fragment-based lead discovery for CNS diseases, announced today a research collaboration with H. Lundbeck A/S (Lundbeck) utilizing Zenobia's expertise in protein expression and x-ray crystallography for the Parkinson's disease target, LRRK2.  Under the agreement, Zenobia will continue to use its capabilities in fragment-based lead discovery (FBLD) to advance its internal LRRK2 drug discovery program independently of Lundbeck.

"We are pleased that our expertise in protein expression, purification and crystallization has been recognized by a leader in CNS drug discovery and look forward to a long and productive relationship with Lundbeck," says Vicki Nienaber, Ph.D., President, CSO and founder of Zenobia.

"Zenobia has a strong structural biology team and the lead on this important Parkinson's target.  We are pleased to be working with them," says Klaus Baek Simonsen, Head of Discovery Chemistry at H. Lundbeck A/S.

Under the agreement, Zenobia will complete x-ray crystal structures of wild-type and the Parkinson's disease-associated mutant, G2019S, in complex with Lundbeck lead compounds.  Zenobia retains all rights and ownership of the LRRK2 structure and to their internal LRRK2 chemistry program.