Nervous System News and Research

Latest Nervous System News and Research

Cognition Therapeutics closes $2.5 million Series A1 financing

Cognition Therapeutics Inc., a drug discovery company developing novel, small molecule disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer's, has closed on a $2.5 million Series A1 financing it will use to bring one or more of its compounds to Investigational New Drug (IND) candidate status. The round was led by Golden Seeds, one of the nation's largest angel investing groups, and was syndicated with Tech Coast Angels.

20 Jan 2011

Chelsea reports top-line data from Phase III NORTHERA extension study in NOH

Chelsea Therapeutics International, Ltd. reported new 12-month data from Study 303, a safety extension study from its Phase III NORTHERA™ (droxidopa) registration program in symptomatic neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (NOH). Preliminary, top-line results demonstrate Northera provides clinically meaningful and durable symptomatic improvements in patients with NOH throughout a one-year observation period.

20 Jan 2011

Damaged alpha-synuclein proteins can spread in a 'prion-like' manner: Study

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, reveals that damaged alpha-synuclein proteins can spread in a 'prion-like' manner, an infection model previously described for diseases such as BSE.

20 Jan 2011

Study validates MultiStem as potential stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Athersys, Inc. announced a joint scientific study on spinal cord injury will be published today in the January issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.

20 Jan 2011

New research: HIV individuals are more likely to have stroke

New research suggests that people infected with human immunodeficiency virus may be up to three times more likely to have a stroke compared to those not affected with HIV. The study is published in the January 19, 2011, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

20 Jan 2011

First group of patients 'graduate' from treatment at CDH Proton Center, A Procure Center

Two months after the opening of the CDH Proton Center, A ProCure Center, the first patients have "graduated" from their treatment surrounded by family, friends and staff. The group of graduating patients, whose tumors included prostate, brain and a non-cancerous tumor on the spinal cord, received proton therapy, an alternative to standard X-ray radiation that spares healthy tissue and results in far fewer short- and long-term treatment side effects.

20 Jan 2011

Positive top-line results from TC-5619 Phase 2 trial in patients with schizophrenia

Targacept, Inc. today announced positive top-line results from a Phase 2 clinical proof of concept trial to assess TC-5619 as an augmentation therapy to improve cognition in patients with schizophrenia.

20 Jan 2011

Salk Institute uncovers presenilin's productive side

Mutant presenilin is infamous for its role in the most aggressive form of Alzheimer's disease-early-onset familial Alzheimer's-which can strike people as early as their 30s. In their latest study, researchers at the Salk Institute uncovered presenilin's productive side: It helps embryonic motor neurons navigate the maze of chemical cues that pull, push and hem them in on their way to their proper targets.

19 Jan 2011

Geron commences enrollment in imetelstat Phase 2 clinical trial in essential thrombocythemia

Geron Corporation today announced enrollment of the first patient in a Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the activity of the company's telomerase inhibitor drug, imetelstat (GRN163L), in patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET).

19 Jan 2011

Case Western Reserve, Athersys enter partnership for scientific study on spinal cord injury

19 Jan 2011

Study demonstrates role of alpha-synuclein cell-to-cell transfer in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis

The misfolding of abnormal proteins in brain cells is a key element in Parkinson's disease development. A recent study suggests that the sick proteins slowly move between cells, eventually triggering the destruction of the new host cell. The discovery could potentially lead to new therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases aimed at blocking the spread of protein misfolding throughout the brain.

19 Jan 2011

Forest Laboratories third quarter net sales increase 6.7% to $1,063.9 million

Forest Laboratories, Inc., an international pharmaceutical manufacturer and marketer, announced that reported earnings per share equaled $1.11 in the third quarter of fiscal 2011 after taking a charge for a new product licensing fee of $66.1 million or $0.23 per share, net of tax.

18 Jan 2011

Alexza completes FDA review for AZ-004 NDA

Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it completed an End-of-Review meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) for the AZ-004 New Drug Application (NDA), and has received the official FDA minutes from the meeting. In December 2010, Alexza held the End-of-Review meeting in response to a Complete Response Letter (CRL) received in October 2010.

18 Jan 2011

New guideline recommends plasmapheresis usage to treat people with severe relapses in MS, neuropathies

A new guideline from the American Academy of Neurology recommends using plasma exchange to treat people with severe relapses in multiple sclerosis and related diseases, as well as those with certain kinds of nerve disorders known as neuropathies.

18 Jan 2011

Heart disease patients' skin cells may help test long QT syndrome

Skin cells from a patient with an inherited heart disease were the seeds of a stem cell experiment that could help researchers test specific treatments for the disease, known as long QT syndrome. The research results appear in the January 16 issue of the journal Nature.

18 Jan 2011

Diamyd commences NP2 Enkephalin Phase II trial to reduce cancer pain

Diamyd has dosed the first subject in a Phase II clinical trial in the United States evaluating the ability of the candidate drug NP2 Enkephalin to reduce cancer pain.

17 Jan 2011

Adjunctive lacosamide reduces seizures and improves responder rates

Comprehensive analyses of pooled data from three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase II/III trials showing the efficacy and tolerability of Vimpat® (lacosamide) C-V for patients with partial-onset seizures, regardless of the type of concomitant AED used, have been published in the drug evaluation journal, CNS Drugs.

13 Jan 2011

Video submissions invited for the 2011 Neuro Film Festival competition

People who have loved ones affected by a brain disorder or have been affected by a disorder themselves still have the opportunity to share their story by submitting a short video to the 2011 Neuro Film Festival(SM) competition at http://www.neurofilmfestival.com. The deadline for entries is February 15, 2011.

13 Jan 2011

Biocordcell Argentina launches program to store dental pulp stem cells

Cord Blood America, Inc., the umbilical cord blood stem cell preservation company focused on bringing the life saving potential of stem cells to families nationwide and internationally, announced today that Biocordcell Argentina S.A. (BioCells, Inc.) has launched a program to store dental pulp stem cells, the first stem cell storage bank in Argentina to offer this service.

13 Jan 2011

Genomic research could help doctors better target oxaliplatin drug to treat colorectal cancer patients: Study

Genomic research could help doctors better target a drug widely used to treat colorectal cancer patients, according to a study by Genomic Health Inc. and the Translational Genomics Research Institute.

13 Jan 2011