Pharmaleads is a biotech company specialised in the study of enzymes (peptidases, phophatases) with chemical and biochemical approaches. In the chemistry field, Pharmaleads has a strong and wide expertise in solid phase peptide synthesis, design of fluorogenic substrates, selective or dual inhibitors and biological markers.

Facilities: Pharmaleads has recently moved to a brand new location with its own chemistry and biochemistry labs. Pharmaleads masters all the physico-chemical and biochemical methodologies for enzymatic studies & has the corresponding equipment: peptide synthetisers, analytic & preparative HPLC with UV and fluorimetry detection, UV spectrophotometer, spectrofluorimeter, with multiwell microplate reader for kinetic studies, NMR spectroscopy and molecular modelling.

Tasks in FAD:

Synthesis of biomarkers derived from highly potent inhibitors of relevant enzymes. Design and modelling of the biomarkers. Comparative analysis of the binding properties of the various synthesised candidates (WP4).

Members of the FAD staff

• Marie-Claude Fournié-Zaluski (PhD), physico-chemistry, peptide synthesis • Bernard P. Roques (PhD, Prof.) organic chemistry, scientific advisor • Hervé Poras (PhD), organic chemistry, peptide synthesis • Sylvain Bourdoulous (lab technician) chemistry • Tanja Ouimet (PhD) biochemistry, enzymology • Christelle Olaizola (lab technician) biochemistry • Pierre maillard, Senior Manager • Laure Trannoy, FAD junior project manager

Main publication/patent linked to FAD tasks (max 5/5)

 Raguin O., Fournié-Zaluski MC, Romieu A., Pélegrin A., Chatelet F., Pélaprat D., Barbet J., Roques B. P., Gruaz-Guyon A., A labeled neutral endopeptidase inhibitor as a potential tool for tumor diagnosis and prognosis, Angewandte Chemie 2005; 44: 4048-4061. Détecteur Toxine A : PCT/ FR05/01121 4 mai 2005
 Luciani N., De Rocquigny H., Turcaud S., Romieu A., Roques B.P., Higly sensitive and selective fluorescence assays for rapid screening of endothelin-converting enzyme inhibitors, Biochem. J. 2001; 356: 813-819.
 Anne C., Cornille F., Lenoir C., Roques B.P., High-Throughput fluorogenic assay for determination of botulinum type B neurotoxin protease activity, Anal. Biochem. 2001; 291: 253-261.