Intron Fusion Proteins: A New Class of EGF Receptor Modulator
Dimercept represents a new class of receptor modulator called Intron Fusion Proteinsâ„¢ (IFPâ„¢) discovered by Gail M. Clinton" Ph.D. of OHSU and John P. Adelman Ph.D. of the Vollum Institute. Dimercept is an intracellular signaling protein that blocks activation of the entire EGF family of receptors including the HER-2 cell receptor. Rather than blocking the EGF receptor surface the novel receptor modulator is activated within the cell.
Preclinical studies have shown Dimercept selectively blocks intracellular signaling triggered by EGF and transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-) in about half of all cancers. These include cancers of the prostrate breast lung colon brain and pancreas. Licensed exclusively to Receptor BioLogix from OHSU Dimercept is an alternative product of the HER-2 gene that contains part of the HER-2 protein receptor itself fused to novel amino acid sequences encoded by an intron a genetic code variation that is selectively expressed in normal cells and represents a newly discovered alternative means of gene expression.