Houghten Pharmaceuticals' Expanding Technology And Collaborations

US development-stage firm, Houghten Pharmaceuticals, is expanding its business with technology and collaborative developments in the field of combinatorial chemistry.

Houghten has developed extensive collections of novel, small-molecule chemical compounds which have attracted nine pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies thus far for collaborative ventures covering 19 molecular targets. This, however, is not Houghten's sole activity as, unusually for a combinatorial chemistry company, it also has a drug-development program.

Product Pipeline Houghten is currently conducting two Phase II clinical trials with its flagship compound HP-228, a cytokine-regulating agent and "the first drug discovered using combinatorial chemistry tools to enter human clinical trials," according to the company. The first trial with HP-228 is for the treatment of cancer pain and the second for obesity associated with Type-II or non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Results are expected in fourth-quarter 1996. Phase I trials demonstrated a dose-dependent effect with minimal adverse reactions. These included flushing after first dose, yawning and non-sustained penile erection in males.