NeoTherapeutics' Neuroregenerative Drug Increases The Number of Stem Cells in the Brains of Adult Mice
PR Newswire - January 31, 2001 09:20
Data supporting Neotrofin(TM)'s potential to slow or reverse Alzheimer's and
other degenerative brain diseases presented at the "Ischaemic Injury: Novel Targets and Therapeutics" conference in London
IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- NeoTherapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: NEOT; NEOTW) announced today that its lead compound Neotrofin(TM) stimulated the proliferation of brain stem cells in adult mice. Brain stem cells are a self-renewing population of cells that can restock the supply of mature nerve cells and may be the foundation for self-healing in the brain after injury. Data were presented at the 'Ischaemic Injury: Novel Targets and Therapeutics' conference in London, an event regularly attended by experts and opinion leaders in the field of neuroscience.
In two blinded, dose-response studies, mice were given a single administration of Neotrofin and, 24 hours later, the number of newly formed brain stem cells was counted. Analysis revealed that, in animals treated with doses between 1 and 10 mg/kg of Neotrofin, there was a significantly higher number of newly generated brain cells. Studies are underway to examine the effect of multiple doses of Neotrofin and to determine whether the newly formed brain stem cells will mature to become neurons.
"At this stage, we can say that there seems to be a rapid increase in the number of new brain stem cells in animals treated with Neotrofin. This is a very exciting finding, made even more so by the fact that it was reproduced in two separate experiments, and that three different investigators, all blinded to the treatment that the animals received, obtained the same results," stated Eve M. Taylor, Ph.D., the senior scientist at NeoTherapeutics who led the study. "It is now important for us to determine whether these young cells mature into neurons, and we are currently conducting the studies that will answer this question."
"Stem cell research is the cutting edge of new attempts to replace aging or diseased nerve cells," said Alvin J. Glasky, Ph.D., CEO and Chief Scientific Officer of NeoTherapeutics. "Certainly, this data supports the hypothesis that Neotrofin is a regenerative drug in the truest sense of the word. It appears to enhance the brains limited ability to heal itself by stimulating the production of new cells in the brain. Our greatest hope is that these cells might one day prove to slow down or reverse a variety of neurodegenerative brain disorders such as Alzheimer s disease and Parkinson's disease. In addition, Neotrofin may reduce or eliminate the need to use fetal tissue as a source of brain stem cells for surgical implantation."
Brain stem cells are immature cells that retain the potential to multiply and develop into new nerve cells. This process is called neurogenesis. Once cells mature to become neurons they can no longer divide, and upon loss due to disease or injury, they must be replaced for the brain to retain function. The dogma had been that neurogenesis only occurs in young animals and humans and, that once an organism reaches adulthood, this process no longer occurs. This gave rise to the assumption that once nerve cells were lost, there was no way to repopulate an injured or diseased brain. Loss of neurons is the basis for many diseases including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and for the deficits seen as a result of spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury and stroke.
In recent years, a number of prominent scientists have demonstrated that neurogenesis does occur in adult animals including humans, that it is controlled by natural growth factors, and that it can be modulated by environmental factors including age and exercise. It is becoming clear that using a drug such as Neotrofin to stimulate neurogenesis may be a way to repopulate the brain with new neurons, and may provide a therapeutic means for slowing and perhaps reversing the damage done by disease or injury.
Neotrofin is already in clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease and has been shown to be safe and well tolerated in over 1000 patients. In a phase 2 clinical study conducted by Dr. Steven Potkin of the University of California, Irvine, patients treated with 500 and 1000 mg doses of Neotrofin experienced statistically significant improvement in memory, attention and judgement. These behavioral improvements were consistent with changes in brain metabolism seen using Positron Emission Tomography scanning and changes in brain waves measured by electroencephalography.
NeoTherapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of small molecule drugs for unmet medical needs for the treatment of important diseases. The Company's most advanced drug, Neotrofin(TM), is currently being developed for Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and spinal cord injury. In animal models of cognitive decline, aging and spinal cord injury, Neotrofin(TM) has been shown to restore neurological function. NeoGene Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of NeoTherapeutics, is engaged in functional genomics research. NeoOncoRx, Inc., a subsidiary of NeoTherapeutics, is engaged in the development of anticancer drugs. For additional Company information, visit NeoTherapeutics' web site at www.neotherapeutics.com.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding future events and the future performance of NeoTherapeutics that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks are described in further detail in the Company's reports filed with the securities and Exchange Commission.
Contacts:
MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Siegal
Ronald Trahan Associates (RTA) Inc.
(508) 647-9782, ext. 15
INVESTOR RELATIONS
John McManus
NeoTherapeutics, Inc.
(949) 788-6700
SOURCE NeoTherapeutics Inc.
/CONTACT: MEDIA RELATIONS: Jon Siegal of Ronald Trahan Associates (RTA)
Inc., 508-647-9782, ext. 15, or INVESTOR RELATIONS: John McManus of
NeoTherapeutics, Inc., 949-788-6700/
/Web site: neotherapeutics.com
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