By Anthony Roberts
Company Profile: GTx Inc
GTx, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Memphis Tenn., which focuses on the development and discovery of small, selective molecules that focus on hormonal pathways to treat muscle loss and wasting, osteoporosis, cancer, and numerous other conditions.
They have been active in both the fields of SERM (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator) and SARM (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator) development.
In December of 2007, GTx formed a collaboration with Merck & Co., Inc. to discover and develop SARMs. Their first breakthrough was with Ostarine, although they are currently studying multiple compounds with the hopes of bringing even more SARMs to the Market.
Company Profile: Ligand Pharmaceuticals
Ligand Pharmaceuticals is one of the companies at the forefront of Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator development. They have led the way by conducting extensive drug research with SARMs during their research collaboration with TAP Pharmaceutical Products. They are credited with the discovery of the SARMs LGD-2941, and LGD-3303 (TAP is currently developing LGD-2941 in a Phase I clinical trial). At this stage, Ligand has rights to several SARM molecules, although they have not made public all of the molecules they are in the process of developing. Ligand Pharmaceuticals has publicly stated that they are deeply committed to the formulation and optimization of an entire catalogue of SARMs.
Ligand Pharmaceuticals specializes in the discovery and development of new drugs that address what they believe to be critically unmet medical needs of patients in the Cancer, hormone-related diseases, osteoporosis, inflammatory diseases, and a variety of other conditions. Their proprietary drug discovery and development programs are based on its gene transcription technology related to intracellular receptors, thus placing them firmly at the forefront of SARM development and discovery.