In de press release van 11 januari staat:

Sangamo develops DNA-binding "zinc finger" proteins to modify and regulate genes. SB-509 is a zinc finger activator of vascular endothelial growth factor, which has been shown to promote the survival and development of nerve cells."This puts us in a position to de-risk the program significantly," Chief Executive Edward Lanphier told Reuters in a telephone interview on Friday.

He said Sangamo is "in active discussions" with potential partners and the new trial "lets the pharma world know in no uncertain terms that we are going to push this drug forward."

Lanphier said the SB-509 trial will involve patients with moderately severe, rather than mild, neuropathy -- the group shown to benefit most from the drug in earlier trials.

De zinkvinger DNA-bindend eiwit, die het DNA kan activeren om bepaalde eiwitten aan te maken, heeft veel potentie.^[1] Het zink vinger eiwit wat VEGF-A (vascular endothelial growth factor) activeert heeft SB-509. VEGF-A stimuleert de aanmaak van bloedvaten, groei van zenuwen, en is beschermend voor de zenuwen.^[2][3]

Geschreven door: Jan Keppel Hesselink, en David Kopsky, artsen, januari 2010

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