AGT files more diabetes, obesity patents

AGT Biosciences says it has filed another three patent applications for genes involved in diabetes and obesity.

The company now has 65 genes and proteins associated with type 2 diabetes and obesity in various stages of patent protection, and a further eight with involvement in depression and anxiety.

The new genes are involved in regulatory pathways associated with the multi-gene disorder, said CEO Greg Collier. The company has focused on building up a comprehensive portfolio of genes for the disease, primarily through teasing out the genes and proteins involved in these pathways.

Collier likened it to building a picket fence around the pathways of importance.

"We can fossick through and pick the best ones to fast track through to clinical development," he said. The company has a multi-million dollar deal with Merck Sante‚ to identify and develop targets for drug discovery.

The company is still evaluating the three new genes, but Collier said that there were major changes associated with each of them. The next step will be to demonstrate that they are druggable targets, that is, that modifying the interaction of the protein with other parts of the pathway has an effect on the endpoint of the disease.

Collier said that given the increasing importance of type 2 diabetes and obesity in Australia, it was surprising that AGT was the only company working on gene discovery.