Emma Parmee to Receive 2009 Gordon E. Moore MedalParmee to be honored for playing a key role in the discovery of the dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitor Januvia.
PHILADELPHIA, PA—7 August 2009—The Society of Chemical Industry (SCI), America Section, will award the SCI Gordon E. Moore Medal to Emma Parmee, director of medicinal chemistry at Merck. She will be presented with the medal at the Gordon E. Moore Ceremony and Luncheon on 15 September, during Innovation Day 2009 at the
Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF) in Philadelphia. Innovation Day gathers more than 200 leaders from the molecular-sciences industries to discuss cutting edge research.
Parmee is being awarded the SCI Moore Medal for playing a key role in the discovery of the dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitor Januvia (sitagliptin), the first and only
DPP-4 inhibitor approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Parmee and
her colleagues' discovery represents a major advance in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Because of its unique glucose-dependent mechanism of action, there is very low risk of hypoglycemia. Overall side effects are comparable to placebo, and unlike many other anti-hyperglycemic agents, Januvia does not cause weight gain. In addition, DPP-4 inhibition is associated with improvements in β-cell function, which may lead to increased long-term effectiveness.
"Emma Parmee's groundbreaking work has created an enduring legacy of better lives for millions of diabetics," said Andrew Liveris, SCI chairman and CEO of The Dow Chemical Company.
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About Emma Parmee Parmee joined Merck following a stellar graduate career at Oxford and a NATO postdoctoral fellowship at MIT. She is co-inventor on the issued US patent covering Januvia and she received a Key Contributor Award from Merck for her many contributions to the DPP-4 program.She has lectured both nationally and internationally on
herwork in this field and has authored six DPP-4 manuscripts, including four as first or senior author.
In addition to
her contributions to the discovery of Januvia,
Parmee and
her team identified a subnanomolar, exquisitely selective DPP-4 inhibitor which was key in evaluating the benefits of selective inhibition. For example, using this inhibitor,
her biological colleagues showed that inhibition of related proline peptidases, but not
DPP-4, leads to T-cell activation.
She also designed and prepared ligands for affinity columns which were used to purify
DPP-4 and the related enzymes QPP and DPP-4β, subsequently identified as DPP-8. The latter enzyme was shown to be responsible for the toxicity observed in preclinical species with nonselective
DPP-4 inhibitors.
Following the discovery of Januvia,
Parmee assumed leadership responsibility for an important new diabetes program at
Merck, glucagon receptor antagonists.
Dr. Parmee's keen attention to detail, clear analytical thinking, and close working relationship with
her biological colleagues have played a critical role in
her success on that project as well.
In the course of
her scientific career,
Parmee has been an author or coauthor of 30 papers in refereed journals and is a coinventor on 24 issued and pending patent applications. In addition to Januvia,
Parmee has contributed to the discovery of seven development candidates, including one currently in Phase I clinical studies, one in Phase II, and one compound that is expected to enter pivotal Phase III studies later this year. First-rate medicinal chemistry skills and leadership ability have made
Parmee a well respected and sought out collaborator in the
Merck research community, and
hertalents are also known in the worldwide research community.
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