Tripos receives U.S. Patent protection and approval for innovative Topomer technologies; Topomer tools now linked for even more powerful compound searches

ST. LOUIS–Tripos International, leading provider of drug discovery informatics products and services, today announced the availability of integrated versions of its recently patented Topomer Search and Topomer CoMFA® technologies. Tripos’ Topomer technologies accelerate the speed and enhance the accuracy of the process chemists use to predict the biological activity and properties of compounds in chemical discovery and development and enable researchers to search vast numbers of compounds rapidly (1 million compounds overnight).

In making the announcement, Tripos’ Chief Scientific Officer, Richard D. Cramer, Ph.D., said, “Topomer technologies are quite extraordinary because of their speed, effectiveness, ease of use and versatility. Using Tripos’ Topomer Search and Topomer CoMFA together, the discovery scientist gains a whole new capability for both lead hopping by ligand similarity and for 3D-QSAR studies. This saves time, therefore reducing the expense associated with these vital steps in the discovery process.”

Topomers fundamentally characterize the shapes of organic compounds, such as those typically encountered in the drug discovery, agrochemical research or fragrances and flavor industries, and emphasize consistency over reproducing experimental or low energy geometries. The intent of Topomer generation is that similar chemical connectivity will yield similar shapes. Structures with similar shapes based on Topomer similarity are more likely to have similar biological properties.

Scientists can quickly and easily create quantitative, predictive 3D QSAR models in Topomer CoMFA and use Topomer Search to identify new substituents and R-groups, which are predicted to improve biological activity and have already been synthetically realized in their corporate collection, permitting more rapid breakthroughs in new chemical and drug discoveries.

Development of the Topomer technologies continues with enhancements planned for both Topomer Search and Topomer CoMFA later in 2008. Tripos also plans to release a new informatics system based on the Topomers technology designed to allow chemists to simultaneously consider synthetic cost as well as therapeutic benefit during each lead discovery and optimization decision, something no other CAMD methodology does.

About the New Tripos International

Tripos International helps pharmaceutical companies and research facilities around the world successfully accelerate the identification and optimization of new compounds that have the potential to become drug products. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, the New Tripos International serves more than 1,000 customers spanning over 46 countries.

Purchased by Vector Capital from Tripos, Inc. in March 2007, the newly private company focuses on innovation within its current technology portfolio, specifically enhancing the core functionality and user experience of its computational informatics product suite SYBYL®. Additionally, the company supports the large pharmaceutical companies that have adopted Tripos’ Benchware enterprise-class products, through professional services, customer and technical support.