Cypros Pharmaceutical Presents Promising Pre-Clinical Data on Novel New Drugs for the Treatment of Stroke
CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--Oct. 31, 1997--Scientists from Cypros Pharmaceutical Corporation (NASDAQ:CYPR) reported this
week at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in New Orleans that the Company's novel, neuronal calcium channel
blockers demonstrated profound protection of brain tissue when administered post-stroke in an animal model.
These novel non-peptide, small molecule compounds were discovered by Cypros chemists. These compounds are the subject of United
States and European patent applications filed earlier this year.
Cypros scientists have spent three years developing these novel agents that inhibit the release of the neurotransmitter glutamate. Excess
glutamate release causes brain damage after stroke episodes. Current strategies of blocking glutamate receptors have not been successful
as stroke therapeutics. Reducing excess glutamate release is a new approach to stroke therapy and the Cypros compounds represent a
new class of non-peptide agents that hold promise for the treatment of a variety of neurologic and psychiatric disorders whose
underlying pathophysiology involve excess neurotransmitter release.
Commenting on the new data, Dr. Paul Marangos, Chief Executive Officer of Cypros, stated, ''We have focused on presynaptic control of
glutamate release in all our research programs and are pleased that our focused group of scientists have synthesized a variety of agents
which regulate glutamate released from nerve cells and glial cells. The clinical potential of the nerve cell specific agents reported on in
New Orleans is substantial and represents a breakthrough for this program.''
Cypros Pharmaceutical Corporation is engaged in the development and marketing of drug products for the hospital market. The Company
is pursuing a diversified strategy of marketing approved drugs and developing small molecule therapeutics that protect cells from
ischemic injury. Ischemia is the number one cause of death in most developed countries. The Company currently has three products on
the market, Glofil, Inulin and Ethamolin(R). |
