The research has been published in the international peer-reviewed journal Experimental Cell Research. The paper outlines the discovery of novel genes that code for a neural regeneration peptide and describes its effects on nerve cells.
Neural regeneration peptides (NRPs) are a class of peptides that display a broad range of biological effects important for the protection and regeneration of nervous system tissue. Peripheral neuropathy, one of the potential therapeutic applications of the NRPs, is a relatively common and disabling condition characterized by nerve damage due to diseases such as diabetes, or as a result of other treatments, such as chemotherapy.
Currently the approved drugs for the treatment of peripheral neuropathy, which have combined sales in excess of $2 billion per year, provide only symptomatic relief for pain and do not treat or prevent the underlying disease process.
Neuren and Metabolic Pharmaceuticals agreed to jointly develop the NRP project in March 2005, with all intellectual property and commercial outcomes to be equally shared.
Results from a recently reported animal study relevant to chemotherapy-induced neuropathy positively indicated that the current lead NRP compound, NNZ-4921, has good therapeutic potential. In the study, animals treated with the NRP compound, NNZ-4921, at 4mg/kg/day showed significantly improved performance in several tests of movement and responsiveness, compared to controls, and displayed a significant reduction in the wasting that typically results from the induced neuropathic condition.
These results support the substantial body of in vitro data, indicating that NRP compounds are potent neuroactive agents.
Metabolic and Neuren intend to move a lead compound towards the clinic as soon as practicable. Further studies to characterize the effects of NNZ-4921 and other NRP compounds in a range of animal models and at different doses are underway to select a lead compound to progress to human testing. Lead compound selection and manufacture for formal preclinical studies is expected to commence in 2007.