TAINAN, Taiwan--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- <\/p>\n
A southern Taiwan-based National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) research team led by Ming-Shi Chang, NCKU professor of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, has discovered an anti-interleukin-20 (anti-IL-20) antibody, a potential new anti-osteoporosis and anti-rheumatoid arthritis drug, and agrees to license selected intellectual property and transfer certain technology to Novo Nordisk A\/S, a Danish-based pharmaceutical company for a total payment of US$ 13.3 million in case of a successful completion of the project. <\/p>\n
In addition, Professor Ming-Shi Chang and Novo Nordisk A\/S have established a 2-year research collaboration to further strengthen and possible expand the usages of an IL-20 antibody. <\/p>\n
NCKU President Hwung-Hweng Hwung hailed the groundbreaking discovery of anti-interleukin-20 antibody: The findings not only mark a milestone in global healthcare, but also raise the visibility of Taiwans academic research. <\/p>\n
This medical discovery was published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM) and has drawn huge attention in the academic world and the biotechnology industry as well. <\/p>\n
IL-20 has a key role in osteoclast differentiation, and blockading this cytokine could represent a novel therapeutic approach for osteoporosis, according to data from the NCKU medical team. <\/p>\n
The chief editor of Nature Reviews wrote a research highlight in the September issue of Nature Reviews Rheumatology commenting on this finding, while Science-Business eXchange (SciBX) published a cover story reporting on the discovery in the same month. <\/p>\n
The study not only signifies groundbreaking findings in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis, but could lead to the innovation of new drugs to treat osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. <\/p>\n
Professor Chang pointed out that the medical expense of anti-osteoporosis drugs for patients around the world is estimated to be as much as US$8 billion per year, and that the amount spent on them by 2015 will be about US$8.8 billion. <\/p>\n
Changs team has discovered that IL-20 is an important factor in bone cell differentiation and that high serum IL-20 levels in osteoporosis patients cause bone destruction. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
See the original post here: TAINAN, Taiwan--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A southern Taiwan-based National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) research team led by Ming-Shi Chang, NCKU professor of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, has discovered an anti-interleukin-20 (anti-IL-20) antibody, a potential new anti-osteoporosis and anti-rheumatoid arthritis drug, and agrees to license selected intellectual property and transfer certain technology to Novo Nordisk A\/S, a Danish-based pharmaceutical company for a total payment of US$ 13.3 million in case of a successful completion of the project. In addition, Professor Ming-Shi Chang and Novo Nordisk A\/S have established a 2-year research collaboration to further strengthen and possible expand the usages of an IL-20 antibody. Continue reading
\nResearch and License Agreements between National Cheng Kung University and Novo Nordisk A\/S<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"