Bringing together respected scientists from related fields, the board will draw upon its members’ unique expertise to offer strategic counsel to the company. The board’s first priority is to assist the company in its efforts to further develop Huperzine A, an alkaloid extract of the plant Huperzia serrata that has shown promise in early clinical testing as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.
The board includes Dr Paul Aisen, vice chair of the department of neurology and director of the Memory Disorders Program at Georgetown University School of Medicine; Dr Robert Moriarty, chief science officer of OrgSyn Laboratory; and Dr Dinesh Patel, chairman of the board and co-founder of XEL Herbaceuticals.
“We’re privileged to have this group of accomplished professionals assist us in our efforts to develop and commercialize next-generation compounds,” said Neuro-Hitech president and CEO Reuben Seltzer. “Our research and clinical tests so far show tremendous promise for breakthrough benefits for those who suffer from Alzheimer’s and other degenerative neurological disorders, and this board is uniquely qualified to facilitate our progress.”
Preclinical studies suggest that Huperzine A’s potential advantages over other acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors include higher blood-brain-barrier penetration, better tolerability and multiple mechanisms of action, including both AChE and N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) antagonism. The drug is currently an exhaustive phase II study being conducted at 30 academic and medical sites.
Moving forward, the affiliated scientific advisory board will also advise Neuro-Hitech as Huperzine A undergoes a study in conjunction with the Walter Reed Army Institute to analyze its effectiveness as a neuroprotective agent.