Media Release 

Nature Neuroscience: New Study Demonstrates The Possibility Of Potentiating The Body's Natural Analgesic And Antinflammatory Processes

Genoa, 30th November 2011 – The Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), together with the University of California, Irvine, authored a new research study entitled "A catalytically silent FAAH-1 variant drives anandamide transport in neurons". Published today in Nature Neuroscience, this study reveals a new mechanism underlying the elimination of anandamide, a natural marijuana-like substance,. This discovery may provide a new path for the discovery of better pain-killers.

Anandamide is a natural pain-killing substance that is produced by the body when tissues are damaged. Anandamide works by combining with the same cellular receptors that recognize the active component of marijuana.

The study defined a key mechanism through which anandamide is destroyed by cells, and identified a new man-made compound that blocks this mechanism, producing marked analgesic (pain-killing) effects in laboratory mice.

The study identified a new protein that binds to anandamide and allows cells to take up and destroy this compound. The new protein was called 'FLAT' ('FAAH-Like Anandamide Transporter') because is very similar to another cellular protein called FAAH, which breaks down anandamide. Unlike FAAH, FLAT does not break down anandamide but rather transports inside cells allowing its degradation by FAAH.

The study also disclosed a new molecule, called ARN272, which binds to FLAT, and blocks the transfer of anandamide into cells. This cause an increase in anandamide levels, boosting the natural analgesic effects of this substance.

ARN272, was discovered using a 'virtual screening' approach. Millions of chemical compounds were tested for their ability to bind FLAT using computer-based methods and this lead to the identification of 46 potential candidates, from which ARN272 was selected after experimental tests.

Dr Daniele Piomelli, Scientific Director of D3 and lead investigator said: "Potentiating a natural protective mechanisms, put in place by evolution to allow us to cope with pain, is an exciting strategy to develop new and safer analgesic drugs. The results of this study identify a new protein target that allows us to test this strategy ."

About the Drug Discovery and Development Unit (D3)

The D3 is a specialist unit of the Italian Institute of Technology dedicated to the discovery of new medicines that get to the core of 21st Century disease, including pain, inflammation and dementia.
D3 combines the creativity of start-of-the-art academic laboratories with the focus of a start-up company to accelerate research in important areas of unmet medical need.
D3 collaborates with private partners, including pharmaceutical companies, venture capitalists and angel investors, on specific projects of shared interest in discovery.
For more information, visit iit.it/d3

About the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia

The Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) is a foundation established jointly by the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research and the Ministry of Economy and Finance to promote excellence in basic and applied research and to contribute to the economic development of Italy.
The primary goals of the IIT are the creation and dissemination of scientific knowledge as well as the strengthening of Italy's technological competitiveness. To achieve these two goals, the IIT will cooperate with both academic institutions and private organizations, fostering through these partnerships scientific development, technological advances and training in high technology.
For more information: www.iit.it

About the University of California (UCI), Irvine

Founded in 1965, UCI is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service.
Led by Chancellor Michael Drake since 2005, UCI is among the most dynamic campuses in the University of California system, with nearly 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 1,100 faculty and 9,000 staff. Orange County's largest employer, UCI contributes an annual economic impact $3.9 billion.
For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.

Media Enquiries

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Genoa, 26th December 2011 – On December 23rd, under the direction of Chairman Dr. Gabriele Galateri, the Board of the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia assembled to deliberate on the changes in the composition of its governing body, made necessary following the recent appointment of Prof. Vittorio Grilli, President of the Foundation, and Prof. Andrea Zoppini, member of the Executive Committee, to new responsibilities in the Italian Government.

Consequently, the Board assigned the offices of President of the Foundation and of the Executive Committee to Gabriele Galateri, already Chairman of the Board, and the office of Chairman of the Board to Dr. Gianfelice Rocca. On the same date, the Board also appointed Prof. Giuseppe Pericu, already a member of the same, to be a member of the Executive Committee in place of Prof. Andrea Zoppini.

The study conducted by a group of researchers of the NEST Laboratory and the Center for Nanotechnology Innovation of IIT@Nest in Pisa was awarded of the prestigious frontispiece of the international journal SMALL. The study deals with the developing of a new drug delivery and controlled release system of active agents based on gold nanostructures. This innovative nano-material exploits a multi-photon effect observed for the first time in the laboratories, which makes possible the release of biomolecules with common continuous low-power lasers at wavelengths close to the "optical window" in the visible range. This pioneering study provides an important achievement towards the development of a new class of promising anticancer and therapeutic agents. For more details, read the following link"

The TV journalist Gabriele Di Matteo of Top Tech program, visited the CNST, where he met several researchers: Guglielmo Lanzani, Coordinator of CNST, who presented the general goal of the center, underlining also the relationship with industrial contributor in photovoltaic research; Mario Caironi, team leader, who came back from Cambridge for developing advanced plastic electronics; Sai Santosh Kumar Raavi, PhD student coming from India; Maria Rosa Antognazza, senior post-doc focused on the development of artificial retina; and Stefano Perissinotto, junior technician working in the femto-second laser laboratory.