From today's SF Chronicle:
sfgate.com
CAT'S PAW: In November, I wrote about
Neurobiological Technologies Inc., a Richmond firm
that was trying to scrounge up the cash to finish
clinical trials on a drug that could help people with
Alzheimer's disease and a related condition called
AIDS dementia.
NTI chief executive Paul Freiman called last week
with the good news that NTI's drug candidate,
Memantine, did well in Phase III clinical trial in
Germany.
The trial involved 166 Alzheimer's patients, some of
whom received Memantine, others of whom got a
placebo. The results, published in the Wednesday
edition of the International Journal of Geriatric
Psychiatry, showed that the Memantine patients
showed considerable improvement in ordinary tasks
like dressing themselves or recognizing visitors.
A similar Phase III trial already is under way in the
United States. If it also turns out positive results,
then later this year or early next year, Freiman
hopes to ask European and U.S. drug regulators to
approve Memantine to relive Alzheimer's
symptoms. (The AIDS dementia trials are at an
early stage of testing.)
Meanwhile, with two weeks cash on hand, Freiman
said he's confident that he'll close another $750,000
private placement to keep the publicly held
company afloat for a few more months.
''We're scratching and clawing,'' he said. ''This is
the 10th life of the cat.''
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