Other

University of Helsinki

Ntf Therapeutics, Inc.

Genecode As

Maxim Bespalov

Mart Saarma

Richard Penn

Mati Karelson

Pia Runeberg-Roos

Heikki Rauvala

Mehis Pilv

Sarka Tumova

Disclosed are compounds and methods for treating neurological and other disorders by administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a compound having binding and/or modulation specificity for GFR&#x3b1; receptor molecules, which can be mimetics of glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family ligands (GFLs), GFR&#x3b1;/RET signaling pathway agonists, and/or direct RET agonists (activators).

Methods of facilitating neural cell survival using GDNF family ligand (GFL) mimetics or RET signaling pathway activators

Neurturin polypeptides which possess reduced heparin and heparan sulfate binding affinity but retain neurotrophic activity, nucleic acids which encode the neurturin variants and vectors and host cells which express the enhanced neurturin polypeptides. Use of the enhanced neurturin polypeptides, nucleic acids and host cells in the treatment or prevention of disease.

Neurturin molecules

The present invention relates to an in vitro method for identifying a molecule, which interferes with the interaction between a glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor family ligand (GFL) and a heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG), by screening a library of molecules against a matrix anchored complex comprising at least one immobilized glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor family ligand (GFL) and at least one heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG), wherein the interfering molecule is isolated based on its capacity to replace a glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor family ligand (GFL) in said anchored complex. The invention also relates to a complex for identifying such a molecule. The invention also relates to methods for preventing or delaying a neurodegenerative process as well as to method for prophylactic treatment or treatment of a disorder in the nervous system.

Receptor for GDNF family ligands

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Helsinki, Finland

Maxim Bespalov