Norak Biosciences Inc has signed a second license agreement granting Merck & Co Inc (Merck) the right to use Norak's Transfluor technology for G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) drug discovery.

Under the terms of the agreement, Merck will internalize Transfluor for use broadly with GPCR targets of interest. This second agreement follows an agreement signed in 2002 granting Merck limited access to Transfluor, with Norak providing cell line development.

Norak's Transfluor technology is a patented, universal GPCR drug discovery technology designed to be the most direct and accurate method for screening potential drug candidates against GPCR targets, whether known or orphan. Transfluor was licensed in 1999 by Norak from technology developed at Duke University Medical Centre.