Therapeutic Targets

Human adult bone marrow somatic cells (hABM-SC) are “smart” cells with the ability to determine the type of disease or injury present in the body and repair or regenerate tissue accordingly. These cells have also been shown to reduce inflammation and suppress the autoimmune response, offering therapeutic potential in a broad array of disease categories.

Neuronyx’ lead product candidate is the application of hABM-SC in post-surgical wound repair, scar revision and various other dermatologic indications. Inflammation is the body’s first response to injury and the beginning of a cascade of events leading to formation of a scar. hABM-SC have been shown to reduce inflammation in a variety of preclinical studies. In preclinical animal models of surgically induced wounds, the administration of hABM-SC adjacent to the wound is associated with reduced severity of scarring and acceleration of healing. The company anticipates launching a Phase 1 clinical trial in the prevention and reduction of post-surgical scarring near the end of 2008.

hABM-SC have also been tested in a Phase 1 clinical trial for the preservation of cardiac tissue following acute myocardial infarction (also known as heart attack). We believe Neuronyx is the first company to inject a cell therapy product directly in cardiac tissue of patients who have suffered a heart attack. The treatment has been well tolerated with no observed acute or chronic immune responses, and all clinical safety endpoints have been met.

Additional animal models of myocardial infarction, stroke and spinal cord injury have demonstrated recovery of damaged tissue utilizing both functional and histological endpoints. Additional in vitro studies have shown the secretion of factors associated with reduced inflammation and immune response suppression; and promising preclinical results have been seen in other therapeutic targets including graft versus host disease, retinitis pigmentosa and type 1 diabetes.