Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (NSDQ:BCLI) said today that it’s preparing for a phase III trial of its NurOwn stem cell treatment, after meeting with the FDA about a biologic license application. The company is developing adult stem cell therapies derived from autologous bone marrow cells to treat neurodegenerative diseases, such as ALS. Hackensack, N.J.-based Brainstorm is planning […]
Neurological
Evotec, Celgene ink drug development deal for stem cell treatments for neurodegenerative diseases
Evotec (ETR:EVT) said today that it inked a 5-year drug discovery and development deal with Celgene (NSDQ:CELG) to identify stem cell therapies for a range of neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. According to the agreement, Hamburg, Germany-based Evotec will receive an upfront payment of $45 million and Celgene will hold exclusive […]
Bayer, Versant close $225m Series A to launch stem cell company
Bayer (ETR:BAYN) and Versant Ventures said today that the 2 groups closed a $225 million Series A financing round to launch BlueRock Therapeutics, a regenerative medicine company focused on developing induced pluripotent stem cell therapies. The funds are estimated to support the company for 4 years as it advances cell therapy clinical programs for cardiovascular and degenerative diseases. “Accessing […]
Sunovion launches clinical trial for anti-epileptic drug with wearable tech
Sunovion Pharmaceuticals said today that it will soon begin enrollment for a Phase IV study of its anti-epileptic drug Aptiom with Empatica‘s Embrace watch. The Marlborough, Mass.-based company touted its study as the 1st to incorporate a wearable seizure device with an anti-epileptic drug into the design of a clinical trial for partial-onset seizures. The Embrace watch […]
Impel NeuroPharma closes $36m series C round for intranasal CNS treatments
Impel NeuroPharma Inc. said today that it closed a $36 million series C financing round to fund its pipeline of precision olfactory delivery (POD) intranasal devices. Life science firms venBIO, 5AM Ventures and Vivo Capital made investments in the round. Seattle-based Impel will get $21 million upfront and $15 million after it reaches development and […]
Intec Pharma inks deal with Michael J. Fox Foundation for patient recruitment
Intec Pharma (NSDQ:NTEC) said today that it inked a deal with the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research to support the biopharmaceutical company’s patient recruitment and retention for its pivotal phase III trial. The study will evaluate Intec Pharma’s lead candidate, the “accordion pill” carbidopa/levodopa (AP-CD/LD), as a treatment for patients with advanced Parkinson’s […]
Allergan expands neurological portfolio with $125m Chase Pharmaceuticals buy
Allergan (NYSE:AGN) said today that it acquired Chase Pharmaceuticals for an upfront payment of $125 million, expanding the Dublin-based company’s neurological portfolio. Washington, D.C.-based Chase is developing a combination therapy of an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and a cholinergic blocker in the hopes of improving cognition in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The acetylcholinesterase inhibitors available on the […]
SanBio touts 1-year data on stem cell transplant for stroke
SanBio Inc. (TYO:4592) released 1-year interim data from the phase 1/2a, open-label, single-arm dose escalation study of its intracerebral stem cell implant designed for stroke patients. The Mountain View, Calif.-based company touted the results, which indicated that itsSB623 stem cell treatment was generally safe, well-tolerated and associated with improved motor functions in patients suffering with chronic impairment following […]
FDA awards product development grants for rare diseases
The FDA said yesterday that it awarded 21 clinical trial research grants totaling more than $23 million over the next 4 years to stimulate product development for patients with rare diseases. The Orphan Products Clinical Trials Grants Program has awarded more than $370 million to fund more than 590 clinical studies since its creation in […]
Real-time MRI in stem cell therapy for Parkinson’s
Researchers have observed that using intraoperative real-time MRI to guide induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons into the brains of non-human primates modeled with Parkinson’s disease yields better visualization and increased cell survival. The study, which will be published in the American Society for Neural Therapy and Repair issue of Cell Transplantation, was conducted at the Wisconsin National Primate Research […]
