Synaptic Pharmaceutical Corp. said it received on Tuesday U.S.patent No. 5,155,218 relating to human serotonin-1D receptorsthat represent new targets for drugs to treat migraineheadaches, depression and anxiety.

The patent covers the discovery of genes encoding two newhuman serotonin receptors, 1D alpha and 1D beta, and use ofthese receptors expressed on the surface of geneticallyengineered cells as targets for drug discovery anddevelopment.

According to Kathleen Mullinix, Synaptic's president and chiefexecutive officer, the company is involved in a majorcollaboration with Eli Lilly & Co. to use the serotonin-D receptorand other Synaptic receptors to develop pharmaceuticalproducts. The first compounds based on these receptors are inearly preclinical development.

Synaptic of Paramus, N.J., uses its proprietary "human target-based drug design" technology to develop drugs that modulatethe functioning of the central and peripheral nervous systems.

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