EMD

EMD may refer to:

Companies

Science and technology

Emerin

Emerin is a protein that in humans is encoded by the EMD gene, also known as the STA gene. Emerin, together with MAN1, is a LEM domain-containing integral protein of the inner nuclear membrane in vertebrates. Emerin is highly expressed cardiac and skeletal muscle. In cardiac muscle, emerin localizes to adherens junctions within intercalated discs where it appears to function in mechanotransduction of cellular strain and in beta-catenin signaling. Mutations in emerin cause X-linked recessive Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy, cardiac conduction abnormalities and dilated cardiomyopathy.

Structure

Emerin is a 29.0 kDa (34 kDa observed MW) protein composed of 254 amino acids. Emerin is a serine-rich protein with an N-terminal 20-amino acid hydrophobic region that is flanked by charged residues; the hydrophobic region may be important for anchoring the protein to the membrane, with the charged terminal tails being cytosolic. In cardiac, skeletal, and smooth muscle, emerin localizes to the inner nuclear membrane; expression of emerin is highest in skeletal and cardiac muscle. In cardiac muscle specifically, emerin also resides at adherens junctions within intercalated discs.

Matuzumab

Matuzumab (formerly EMD 72000) is a humanized monoclonal antibody for the treatment of cancer. It binds to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) with high affinity. The mouse monoclonal antibody (mAb425) from which matuzumab was derived was developed at the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Produced and developed by Merck Serono in cooperation with Takeda Pharmaceutical, it has undergone phase II clinical trials for the treatment of colorectal, lung,esophageal and stomach cancer early in the 2000s. In August 2007, Merck Serono announced that the preliminary results of the colorectal cancer study were less than promising, and that further trials for treating this type of cancer may be abandoned. In February 2008, the development was halted because of disappointing study results.

Mechanism of action

Matuzumab binds to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) on the outer membrane of normal and tumor cells. The matuzumab epitope has been mapped to domain III of the extracellular domain of the EGFR. The EGFR is receptor tyrosine kinase which binds multiple growth factors including EGF (epidermal growth factor) and other members of the EGF family of growth factors, resulting in activation of its tyrosine kinase activity. Activation of the EGFR has diverse effects on target cells depending on cell type and tissue context. It directs cell fate decision relating to cell growth, survival and, differentiation. Development of matuzumab and other antibodies to the EGFR (for example cetuximab) as cancer therapeutics was motivated by observations that EGFR expression and/or signaling is frequently upregulated in cancer cells.