On the Street: Redpoint Bio Receives U.S. Patent Covering Screening
July 28/Ewing, N.J./PRNewswire-FirstCall -- Redpoint Bio Corporation announced the issuance of patent No. 7,749,730 B2 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, entitled "High Throughput Screening Assay for the TRPm5 Ion Channel."
The patent covers methods of using a high-throughput screen to discover certain modulators of the TRPm5 ion channel. The TRPm5 ion channel is a member of a larger class of related TRP (Transient Receptor Potential) ion channels that are involved in the sensation of heat, cold and spicy compounds. The TRPm5 ion channel was originally identified as an important component of taste signaling circuits responsible for sensing sweet, savory and bitter compounds on the tongue. Recently, an emerging body of scientific evidence has demonstrated that the TRPm5 channel is also found in the pancreas and gastrointestinal tract, suggesting a potential role in the regulation of metabolism and satiety. Specifically, TRPm5 may be involved in the secretion of important hormones like GLP1 and insulin that control sugar uptake and metabolism. Consequently, modulators of TRPm5 could potentially find application as a new therapy for adult-onset diabetes and obesity.