01/01/2006
In-vitro study showing ReGen’s Colostrinin(TM) can cause the proliferation and differentiation of nerve cells has been published
ReGen Therapeutics Plc (‘ReGen’ or the ‘Company’) announces that today the full results of an in-vitro study showing that Colostrinin(TM) (CLN) can cause precursor nerve cells to differentiate and proliferate was published in the prestigious journal, Cell and Molecular Neurobiology. Preliminary data from this study were originally reported as a poster at 14th Alzheimer Europe Conference in Prague, Czech Republic on 20/5/2004.
Commenting on the findings, Dr. Istvan Boldogh, Department of Microbiology and Immunology at UTMB*, Galveston, Texas, USA, the study’s principal investigator said:
‘We have defined some initial molecular events responsible for the inhibition of cell proliferation that precedes morphological changes in CLN-treated cells. The neurite outgrowth caused by CLN appears to activate signaling pathways common to cell proliferation and differentiation, and mediate a wide spectrum of activities that are similar to those of hormones and known nerve growth factors.
These findings suggest that CLN treatment may control the expression of genes that are involved in the development, maintenance, and regeneration of neurons in the central nervous system, and thus may also explain the improvements observed in Alzheimer’s patients with mild-to-moderate dementia during treatment with CLN’.
Commenting on the study, Percy Lomax, Executive Chairman, said:
‘I am very pleased with the continuing efforts of our collaborators from UTMB to better define how CLN and its constituent peptides might be working in CNS disorders. The potential to slow down or prevent the death of nerve cells in the brain has clear applicability to the neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. In all of these illnesses there is substantial unmet medical need’.
A complete copy of the paper will be added to the ReGen website (www.regentherapeutics.com) in the next few days.
* ReGen has a sponsored research agreement with the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
For further information, please contact:
Andrew Marshall
Greycoat Communications
0207 960 6007
NOTES TO EDITORS
Background
ReGen’s principal activity is the development of a potential therapy for Alzheimer’s disease and also the development of nutraceutical uses for Colostrinin(TM).
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, neurodegenerative and ultimately fatal disease that slowly destroys the brain. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease include progressive impairment of cognitive function including memory loss, inability to think abstractly, loss of language function, attention deficit and associated depression, anxiety and agitation. Eventually Alzheimer’s disease sufferers lose the ability to take care of themselves and must be looked after either by family or in residential care homes and hospitals. Ultimately, sufferers become less resistant to infections and other illnesses, which often become the actual cause of death. In a 30 week clinical study, reported in the peer reviewed Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease in 2004, it was shown that:
• More than 40% of patients on Colostrinin(TM)were stabilised or improved after 15 weeks of therapy, based on an Analysis of Overall Response
• 33% of patients continued to show stabilisation or improvement after 30 weeks of treatment, and levels of benefit were slightly higher at the 15-week stage of the trial
• Efficacy demonstrated in both mild and moderate symptom groups, with greatest effects seen in earlier stages of the disease
• No drug-related Adverse Events or safety concerns were observed during the trial