Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (NSDQ:BCLI) said today it won a $16 million grant from the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine to engage in a phase 3 study of its NurOwn mesenchymal stem cell-based platform for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Brainstorm said it is in the advanced stages of planning a Phase 3 clinical trial investigating NurOwn for treating ALS. The trial is slated to enroll approximately 200 patients at 6 sites in the US, with the primary outcome being an ALSFR-S score responder analysis.
“We are honored to be awarded this CIRM grant, and appreciate the support of CIRM in the development of NurOwn. This substantial award provides further support for our technology and clinical program, and recognizes the importance of developing effective treatments for patients afflicted with ALS,” Brainstorm CEO & prez Chaim Lebovits said in a prepared statement.
“ALS is a devastating disease with an average life expectancy of less than five years and individuals afflicted with this condition suffer an extreme loss in quality of life. They lose the ability to walk, dress themselves, speak, swallow and breathe. CIRM is partnering with Brainstorm to follow up on the company’s promising phase 2 trial in patients with ALS. CIRM’s mission is to accelerate stem cell treatments to patients with unmet medical needs and, in keeping with this mission, our objective is to find a treatment for patients ravaged by this neurologic condition for which there is currently no cure,” CIRM prez & CEO Dr. Maria Millan said in a press release.
Last month, Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics said it landed a $2.1 million grant from the Israel Innovation Authority. The funds are slated to support the development of Brainstorm’s NurOwn.
