Reddy US Therapeutics, the US-based research arm of Dr Reddy's Laboratories, has identified molecular targets in areas of cardiovascular and oncology.
While, one of the molecules de-clogs arteries post-surgery, the other one is an anti-cancer drug. The primary therapeutic areas that the US arm targets with their drug discovery efforts are diabetes, inflammation, lipid metabolism, oncology and cardiovascular disease.
Founded in November 1999, Reddy US Therapeutics is a bio-pharmaceutical company engaged in drug discovery using a novel research platform to rapidly identify and validate drug targets in the vascular cell matrix signalling pathway.
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The subsidiary has already filed two patent applications in the US. The first application, filed on September 15, 2000, covers a novel high-throughput screening assay for a protein that is a key drug target for cancer and inflammation.
This new test provides increased sensitivity and ease of use compared with the available methods, a company press release said.
"The technology should enable Reddy US Therapeutics and its partners to rapidly identify new drugs for cancer, vascular disease and inflammation," said Sivaram Pillarisetti, director of research, Reddy US Therapeutics.
The second patent application, filed on October 2, 2000, is for a new drug target for inflammatory diseases. The application also covers methods to discover new drug candidates that work through this target.
In November, Dr Reddy's signed an agreement with US biotech firm Incyte Genomics, which gave Dr Reddy's access to Incyte's gene sequencing and animal model databases. The deal would give the company access to over 1,20,000 protein sequences.
Dr Reddy's Labs has also licensed out its anti-diabetes drugs to Novo Nordisk and Novartis AG. One of the drugs licensed to Novo Nordisk, code named NN 622 by Nordisk, is in the final phase III of clinical trials.
The drug has been seen as the most promising in the company's portfolio. It is a novel dual-acting diabetes drug, which lowers both glucose and lipid levels in blood by increasing the body's sensitivity to insulin.