US military lab supports drug to treat Traumatic Brain Injury

By Rebecca Urban
The Sydney Morning Herald
July 11, 2005

Drug developer Neuren Pharmaceuticals has received a significant endorsement from the US military's leading medical research laboratory, which has agreed to continue trials of its treatment for brain injury.

The co-operative research deal, which provides Neuren with financial and practical support, comes one month after the US Food and Drug Administration indicated it would fast-track clinical testing of the biotech's leading brain-injury drug candidate.

The news sent Neuren shares to a record high of 50c.

Neuren will announce today that the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research has agreed to pay half the cost of further pre-clinical testing of its second product, a neuroprotectant drug codenamed NNZ2566, as a potential treatment for traumatic brain injury - common in road accidents and war zones.

The institute has tested the pre-clinical effectiveness of the drug by assessing the ability of injured animals to walk over a balancing beam.

Recent tests showed that when the drug was administered to the animal for 12 hours, almost 70 per cent reduction in neurological deficit was reported. The drug was given 30 minutes after the injury was induced, and animals were assessed 24 and 72 hours later.

These tests will now be expanded and a human safety trial for NNZ2566 is scheduled to start in Australia early next year.

Neuren chief executive David Clarke said the support of such a recognised and respected institute could accelerate the development of the drug.

He said the institute would consider providing further financial, clinical and regulatory support should the compound advance to human trials.

Neuren is hoping to apply for Investigational New Drug status as it did with Glypromate, which is being developed to protect the brain from injury following coronary-artery bypass grafting surgery.

The company is also reconsidering its business strategy as it prepares to take Glypromate into a phase III trial as early as March next year.

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If you or a loved one has suffered a TBI through the negligence or carelessness of others, you may be entitled to compensation.

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