&bgr;-secretase enzyme compositions and methods

US6627739B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Elan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. · US

Inventors

• John P. Anderson · Langenfeld, DE
• Guriqbal Basi · Palo Alto, US
• Minh Tam Doan · Hayward, US
• Normand Frigon · Pleasant Hill, US
• Varghese John · San Francisco, US
• Michael Power · Quincy, US
• Sukanto Sinha · San Francisco, US
• Gwen Tatsuno · Oakland, US
• Jay Tung · Belmont, US
• Shuwen Wang · Hershey, US
• Lisa McConlogue · Burlingame, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 28, 2000
• Grant date: Sep 30, 2003
• Expiry date: Nov 28, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61K38/00
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Disclosed are various forms of an active, isolated &bgr;-secretase enzyme in purified and recombinant form. This enzyme is implicated in the production of amyloid plaque components which accumulate in the brains of individuals afflicted with Alzheimer's disease. Recombinant cells that produce this enzyme either alone or in combination with some of its natural substrates (&bgr;-APPwt and &bgr;-APPsw) are also disclosed, as are antibodies directed to such proteins. These compositions are useful for use in methods of selecting compounds that modulate &bgr;-secretase. Inhibitors of &bgr;-secretase are implicated as therapeutics in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease.