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Biotech / Medical : Neuroscience -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: tuck who wrote (138)	11/14/2000 12:42:59 PM
From: scott_jiminez	Respond to of 278

With the caveat that I'm certainly not up to speed with all the issues here (and reading a press release to analyze data is problematic....) Hedgehog is a member of large family of genes (the homeobox genes) involved in the proper development and patterning of the nervous system. Now, so as to get to the point quickly, recall that the 'nervous system (NS)' can be divided into two parts, the peripheral NS (PNS) and the central NS (CNS). The PNS has regenerative capacity, the CNS does not. This distinction has been a focus of neuroscience research for at least a century. The Curis research appears to indicate that the level of hedgehog protein subsequent to traumatic nerve injury increases in a manner suggesting a recapitulation of embryonic/developmental events. I am familiar with similar data, in a parallel experimental model, for nerve growth factor [NGF] (and its receptor) published 20 years ago. The Curis' study was conducted using components of the PNS; thus the company was attempting to shed additional light on the mechanisms which promote peripheral nerve regeneration. The statement in the press release, ' These findings suggest that therapeutics designed to stimulate this system may be of significant value in treating disorders associated with trauma and neuropathies, which represent a total market in excess of $1 billion.' uses certain key words ('trauma', 'neuropathy') that strongly suggest these data apply exclusively to the PNS. While tempting, extrapolating such data to CNS pathologies is fraught with peril. The mechanisms inhibiting regrowth of CNS axons is complex; there's virtually no chance the resolution of this enigma will be the replacement of one, or even a dozen, 'growth factors'. Thus one of Curis' other statements ("Curis continues to generate pre-clinical data supporting the efficacy and safety of Hedgehog-based therapeutics in neurological disorders," said Doros Platika, M.D., president and chief executive officer of Curis. "We anticipate that these studies will serve as the basis for future clinical trials and add to the already extensive Curis pipeline of regenerative products.") is an unfortunate generalization. The vast majority of readers of this statement would see 'regenerative' in a neuropathological context and immediately think Alzheimer's, Parkinson's etc (i.e. CNS pathologies). In my view, that would be a completely inappropriate connection. The Curis data appears to be an incremental advance towards further understanding the regenerative capacity of the PNS. IMO, it's no more significant than countless other small steps. Since, at this level of presentation, hedgehog has all the characteristics of NGF, this probably does not represent a conceptual advance that would catalyze a rapid leap forward in clinical practice. All above is IMO. I am not invested in Curis nor in any company conducting similar research (I am no longer a CNSI shareholder) I hope this helps.