Neuropharma presents advances in the development of NP-61 at the Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases International Conference
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- Category: Small Molecules
- Published on Tuesday, 20 March 2007 02:00
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MADRID, Spain | Mar 19, 2007 | Neuropharma, subsidiary of the Zeltia group specializing in the research and development of innovative drugs for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s Disease presented at the Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases International Conference, held in Salzburg (Austria), form March 14th to March 18th.
Results presented are from animal model studies which show that NP-61 (ß amyloid modulator) reverses cognitive loss and stops the formation of amyloid plaques in the brain of transgenic mice after three months of oral treatment. Neuropharma expects NP61 to begin Phase I clinical trials in Europe in the first half of 2007.
These results indicate that NP-61 might diminish the cognitive and behavioural decline that the patient faces while simultaneously avoiding the formation of amyloid plaques, one of the major hallmarks of Alzheimer’s Disease. Neuropharma is developing another compound for the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease, NP-12, which started Phase I Clinical trials at the beginning of 2006.
Further results presented
Neuropharma also presented preclinical results from studies with other molecules of marine origin which show a potent neuroprotective effect in cellular models from the effects of toxin 6- hydroxidopamine and β-amyloid.
For additional information:
Belén Sopesén
Neuropharma
Tel: +34 91 806 11 30
http://www.neuropharma.es/
Arturo Pinedo / Victoria Bartolomé
Llorente & Cuenca
Tel: 91 563 77 22
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Notes to the editor
Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia in old people, is a serious, degenerative disorder, caused by the gradual loss of cerebral neurones, whose cause is not fully known.
It affects more than 700.000 in Spain and 27 million people in developed countries and this number is expected to triple by 2050. The social cost associated with the disease exceeds 100.000 million dollars annually worldwide. The treatment cost per patient is over 18.000 € per year in developed countries.
Two main lesions are found in Alzheimer´s patients’ brain: one of them intracellular, neurofibrillary tangles (hyperphosphorylated tau protein deposits), the second one, extracellular senile plaques formed by pathological deposits of amyloid peptide. Both lesions lead to neuronal cell death.
About Neuropharma
Established in 2000, Neuropharma is a biopharmaceutical company owned 59% by Zeltia S.A. and 41% by other private investors.
Its mission is to develop new drugs that provide effective solutions to neurodegenerative diseases. The company is currently focused on the research and development of disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer’s disease through several different approaches/ mechanisms of action. Neuropharma’s first candidate, NP 12 is on-going Phase I clinical development in Germany. With an innovative new mechanism of action, the drug could represent an important hallmark in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Second candidate, NP-61, a beta- amyloid modulator will start Phase I in UK shortly. Neuropharma is a subsidiary of Zeltia (Madrid Stock Exchage: ZEL.MC; Bloomberg: ZEL SM; Reuters: ZEL.MC), Spanish group leader in biotechnology and chemical sector. For Additional information about Neuropharma contact the website http://www.neuropharma.es/
SOURCE: Neuropharma