The award will fund preclinical development of StemCells’ proprietary HuCNS-SC product candidate in Alzheimer’s disease over a four-year period, with the goal of filing an investigational new drug application for a clinical trial during that period.
StemCells president and CEO Martin McGlynn said the preclinical data showed that its neural stem cells restored memory and enhanced synaptic function in two animal models relevant to Alzheimer’s disease.
"CIRM’s approval of two awards to StemCells illustrates the tremendous promise of our neural stem cell technology and the high degree of confidence in the world class team of scientists and clinicians who will be working to translate this technology into potential treatments and cures for these devastating diseases," McGlynn added.
CIRM awarded $20m separately to the company in July 2012 under RFA 10-05 to fund preclinical development of HuCNS-SC cells in cervical spinal cord injury.