Neurotech Insights
March 31, 2007
Inside This Issue: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Top News Alerts: Product Updates, Deals & Financings
Featured Topic: ALS - Lou Gehrig's Disease
Featured Company: CytRx (CYTR)
Subscribe now to access over 30 articles in this issue on developments in neurotech, including drugs, devices and diagnostics.
NIO Unveils National Neurotechnology Initiative at Inaugural Washington Public Policy Tour
NIO, the Neurotechnology Industry Organization, met with dozens of elected officials and policy makers in Washington to discuss the opportunities and obstacles facing companies and organizations working to improve the lives of those with brain and nervous system illnesses. A key topic of discussion with elected Senators and Representatives was the group's National Neurotechnology Initiative (NNTI), a proposed Federal research and development program designed to coordinate balanced and focused strategic investment across multiple agencies to accelerate development of vitally important areas of the field...
Market Highlights: Acadia Hits Target, Corcept and Memory Miss the Mark
Acadia (ACAD), profiled in September 2005 issue of Neurotech Insights, was up over 100% after announcing positive results of their trial of ACP-103 as an adjunct to schizophrenia treatment (see story, page 4). The company is expected to partner the drug prior to Phase III trials. Memory (MEMY) dropped over 40% when their trial for bipolar mania failed to reach significance. They plan to continue development of MEM1003 for Alzheimer’s (see story, page 3). Corcept (CORT) lost 18% when its drug Corlux, known in other contexts as RU486, failed to meet significance for a third time in a Phase III trail. The company would like to conduct another trial incorporating only those likely to achieve threshold plasma levels of the drug, but indicated that it will have to cease operations if it cannot raise additional capital (see story, page 5)....
The Search for Treatments for ALS
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron disease, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The most visible characteristic of ALS is extensive and progressive muscle atrophy leading to death. ALS is very specific in the types of neurons it damages, including motor neurons in the primary motor cortex, corticospinal tracts, anterior horn cells of the spinal cord and/or brainstem (bulbar) nuclei. Sensory systems and cognitive functions are not affected...
CytRx Brings Hope for ALS Treatment
CytRx Corporation (CYTR) is a small biopharmaceutical company focused on neuroprotection, obesity and type 2 diabetes. The company has two technology platforms, one called molecular chaperone amplification and the other RNAi based gene silencing. We spoke with Steven Kriegsman, CEO, who joined the company, first as a consultant, and then as its CEO in mid-2003. Under Mr. Kriegsman, CYTR has enjoyed a spectacular turnaround that saw its share price rise from pennies to over $5 today...
Companies covered in this issue include: 7TM Pharma, Acadia, Amarin, Acorda, Biogen, Biomec, Boehringer, BrainCells, Cannasat, Chromos, CeneRx, Corcept, DanioLabs, Eli Lilly, Evotec, Greatbarch, Hypnion, H. Lundbeck, Intelgenx, QuickCool, Memory Pharmaceuticals, Organon, Paradigm, Progenics, Pain Therapeutics, PDL Biopharma, Neuromed, UCB Pharma, Roskamp Institute, Merck, Medivation, Neuro3D, Schering-Plough, Sepracor, PainCeptor, Takeda, King, Sanofi-Aventis, TransOral, Vastox, Wyeth, Zogenix.
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