NEWARK, N.J., Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Barer
Institute, a cancer drug development initiative of Rafael Holdings,
Inc., (NYSE: RFL), today announced that it has reached an agreement
with Princeton University's Office of
Technology Licensing for technology from the laboratory of
Professor Joshua Rabinowitz, in the
Department of Chemistry, Princeton
University, for an exclusive worldwide license to its SHMT
(serine hydroxymethyltransferase) inhibitor program and related
intellectual property.
SHMT is critical source of 1–carbon units utilized in cellular
nucleotide synthesis. SHMT isoforms are upregulated in
numerous cancers and have been shown to be a valuable target for
metabolic cancer treatment.
Professor Rabinowitz commented, "I am looking forward to working
with the Barer Institute, and their scientists and advisors, to
turn our discoveries into life-saving drugs. The leading current
antifolate, pemetrexed, was discovered by Ted Taylor's lab in Princeton's Chemistry Department, and I
believe that our SHMT inhibitors will prove to be the next major
class of folate-targeting therapeutics."
Dr. Ari Landon, Director of the
Barer Institute, said, "We are excited to work with Professor
Rabinowitz and build on his pioneering work on SHMT
inhibitors. The Rabinowitz Lab is a leading
metabolomics-focused research lab in the country, and its
cutting-edge analytical work has already significantly extended our
understanding of metabolic operations. This agreement enables
us to explore SHMT inhibitors for potential commercial
development."
About Rafael Holdings, Inc.:
Rafael Holdings is
focused on development of novel cancer therapies. The company
is a significant investor in two clinical stage oncology companies,
Rafael Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and LipoMedix Pharmaceuticals
Ltd. Through its wholly owned Barer Institute subsidiary, the
company is developing compounds focused on the regulation of cancer
metabolism. The company also holds commercial real estate
assets in New Jersey and
Jerusalem. For more information,
visit rafaelholdings.com.
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/barer-institute-announces-licensing-agreement-with-princeton-universitys-office-of-technology-licensing-for-shmt-inhibitor-program-301197309.html
SOURCE Rafael Holdings, Inc.