Patent ID: 6291195
Filing Date: 2001-09-18
Classification: A61M,A61P,C07K

Abstract:
A process for preparing a composition which comprises identifying a chemical compound which specifically binds to a human Melanin-concentrating hormone 1 (MCH1) receptor, and then admixing a carrier and the chemical compound or a structural and functional analog thereof, wherein the chemical compound or the structural and functional analog thereof is identifiable as binding to the human MCH1 receptor by a process involving competitive binding which comprises contacting cells expressing on their cell surface the human MCH1 receptor, with both the chemical compound and a second chemical compound known to bind to the receptor, and separately with only the second chemical compound, under conditions suitable for binding of both compounds, and detecting the extent of specific binding of the chemical compound to the human MCH1 receptor, a decrease in the binding of the second chemical compound to the human MCH1 receptor in the presence of the chemical compound relative to the binding of the second chemical compound in the absence of the chemical compound indicating that the chemical compound binds to the human MCH1 receptor, wherein the cells do not normally express the human MCH1 receptor, the human MCH1 receptor is encoded by nucleic acid comprising the sequence shown in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1) or contained in plasmid pEXJ.HR-TL231 (ATCC Accession No. 203197), and the second chemical compound is Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) or an analog of MCH.