Diamond Joe:
Quote:
NNZ-2591 has shown positive results in well-validated preclinical models of cognitive impairment, Fragile X syndrome, traumatic brain injury, stroke, Parkinson’s disease and peripheral neuropathy. Encouraging results have now also been achieved in two studies in a model of multiple sclerosis (MS).
MS is an autoimmune disease caused by destruction of the myelin sheath that surrounds nerve fibres and facilitates cell signalling in the brain and spinal cord. It is an inflammatory condition that results in impairment of motor function as well as cognitive impairment. MS can take two forms: relapsing-remitting and progressive which represent approximately 85% and 15% of cases, respectively. The recently completed experiments tested two different dose levels of NNZ-2591 in the experimental autoimmune encephalitis (EAE) model of MS and included both relapsing-remitting and progressive studies.
In the relapsing-remitting model, both dose levels of NNZ-2591 resulted in an average reduction of approximately 30% in neurological impairment compared to vehicle. In the spinal cord and brain, the number of inflammatory foci was reduced by an average of approximately 30% and 48%, respectively.
In the progressive model, which tends to be more resistant to treatment, the higher dose level of NNZ-2566 resulted in an average reduction of approximately 30% in neurological impairment 1 of 2 compared to vehicle. Testing of the effect of treatment on demyelination in the spinal cord and brain was inconclusive in both studies, due to low levels evidenced during the study.
In addition to preclinical evidence of strong therapeutic potential in a range of applications and an apparently promising safety profile, NNZ-2591 has a number of pharmacological attributes that make it an attractive candidate for further development. These include excellent oral bioavailability (approximately 100%), likely suitability for development of a solid oral dosage form and potential for improved stability compared to other peptide-like compounds.
Neuren Executive Chairman Richard Treagus commented “Whilst Neuren’s near-term focus remains the current Phase 2 clinical trials of NNZ-2566 in four different indications, the attractive pharmaceutical properties and pre-clinical efficacy of NNZ-2591 make a compelling proposition to advance its development behind NNZ-2566”.
Neuren advances NNZ-2591 towards IND application August 2014
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