Drug Pipeline

Cyclosporine is a calcineurin inhibitor that inhibits T cell activation. Its binding to the receptor cyclophilin-1 inside cells produces a complex known as cyclosporine-cyclophilin. This complex subsequently inhibits calcineurin, which in turn stops the dephosphorylation as well as the activation of the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NF-AT) that normally cause inflammatory reactions. NF-AT is a transcription factor that promotes the production of cytokines such as IL-2, IL-4, interferon-g

ADA exogenous gene

Colony-stimulating factors are glycoproteins which act on hematopoietic cells by binding to specific cell surface receptors and stimulating proliferation‚ differentiation commitment‚ and some end-cell functional activation. Endogenous G-CSF is a lineage-specific colony-stimulating factor that is produced by monocytes‚ fibroblasts, and endothelial cells. G-CSF regulates the production of neutrophils within the bone marrow and affects neutrophil progenitor proliferation‚ differentiation, and selec

Melphalan is an alkylating agent of the bischloroethylamine type. It is believed to be taken up by tumour cells via a neutral amino acid active pathway shared by leucine. Melphalan binds at the N7 position of guanine and induces inter-strand cross-links in DNA, disrupting DNA synthesis or transcription. It can also cause DNA-protein cross-linking and induce lesions in RNA, proteins, and lipids. Melphalan is cytotoxic in resting and rapidly dividing tumour cells.

Methotrexate enters tissues and is converted to a methotrexate polyglutamate by folylpolyglutamate. Methotrexate's mechanism of action is due to its inhibition of enzymes responsible for nucleotide synthesis including dihydrofolate reductase, thymidylate synthase, aminoimidazole caboxamide ribonucleotide transformylase (AICART), and amido phosphoribosyltransferase. Inhibtion of nucleotide synthesis prevents cell division. In rheumatoid arthritis, methotrexate polyglutamates inhibit AICART mor

KGF is an endogenous protein in the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family that binds to the KGF receptor. Binding of KGF to its receptor has been reported to result in proliferation, differentiation, and migration of epithelial cells. The KGF receptor, one of four receptors in the FGF family, has been reported to be present on epithelial cells in many tissues examined including the tongue, buccal mucosa, esophagus, stomach, intestine, salivary gland, lung, liver, pancreas, kidney, bladder, mamma

Plerixafor inhibits the C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) on CD34+ cells and reversibly blocks the binding of its ligand, stromal cell-derived factor-1-alpha (SDF-1α). SDF-1α and CXCR4 play a role in the trafficking and homing of human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to the marrow compartment. In the marrow, stem cell CXCR4 can help anchor HSCs to the marrow matrix, either directly via SDF-1α or through the induction of other adhesion molecules. By blocking the interaction between SDF-1α a

Sirolimus works by inhibiting T-lymphocyte activation and proliferation stimulated by antigens and cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, and IL-15. In target cells, sirolimus binds to the cytoplasmic receptor FK506-binding protein-12 (FKBP12), an immunophilin, to form an immunosuppressive complex. FKBP12-sirolimus complex binds to and inhibits the activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which is a serine/threonine-specific protein kinase that regulates cell growth, prolifer

The mechanism of action of tacrolimus in atopic dermatitis is not known. While the following have been observed, the clinical significance of these observations in atopic dermatitis is not known. It has been demonstrated that tacrolimus inhibits T-lymphocyte activation by first binding to an intracellular protein, FKBP-12. A complex of tacrolimus-FKBP-12, calcium, calmodulin, and calcineurin is then formed and the phosphatase activity of calcineurin is inhibited. This prevents the dephosphorylat

2'-deoxyadenosine hydrolytic enzyme; Adenosine hydrolytic enzyme

The ADA-SCID is caused by the presence of mutations in the ADA gene which is responsible for the synthesis of adenosine deaminase. This enzyme is found throughout the body but it is mainly active in lymphocytes. The normal function of adenosine deaminase is to eliminate deoxyadenosine, created when DNA is degraded, by converting it into deoxyinosine. This degradation process is very important as deoxyadenosine is cytotoxic, especially for lymphocytes. Immature lymphocytes are particularly vulner

The actions of benzodiazepines such as midazolam are mediated through the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is one of the major inhibitory neurotransmitters in the central nervous system. Benzodiazepines increase the activity of GABA, thereby producing a sedating effect, relaxing skeletal muscles, and inducing sleep, anesthesia, and amnesia. Benzodiazepines bind to the benzodiazepine site on GABA-A receptors, which potentiates the effects of GABA by increasing the