BioCryst Pharmaceuticals , Inc.

BioCryst designs drug candidates using detailed knowledge of the structures of active sites of targeted enzymes. The active site of an enzyme is the area into which a chemical or biological molecule fits to initiate a biochemical reaction. Enzymes make ideal drug targets as they mediate biochemical processes along disease pathways, are relatively easy to crystallize, and have small active sites. BioCryst aims to design compounds that will fit in the active sites of enzymes and thereby interfere with the progression of disease. Using this approach, the company has successfully designed several product candidates for cancer, cardiovascular diseases and viral infections. ( www.biocryst.com )