Geron : First Human Clinical Trial of Embryonic Stem Cell-Based Therapy and Other Potential Neurological Indications for GRNOPC1

July 30, 2010 - Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has notified the company that the clinical hold placed on Geron's Investigational New Drug (IND) application has been lifted and the company's Phase I clinical trial of GRNOPC1 in patients with acute spinal cord injury may proceed...

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...Additionally, we are now formally exploring the utility of GRNOPC1 in other degenerative CNS disorders including Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis and Canavan disease."...

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Other Potential Neurological Indications for GRNOPC1

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Alzheimer's Disease: Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, fatal, degenerative disorder that attacks the neurons in the brain, resulting in loss of memory, cognitive function such as reasoning and language, and behavioral changes. According to the Alzheimer's Association an estimated five million people in the United States have Alzheimer's disease. GRNOPC1 is being evaluated in animal models of Alzheimer's disease in collaboration with Professor Frank M. LaFerla, Director of the Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND) at the University of California, Irvine...Geron's Press Release -

Amorfix : New Insights Into Alzheimer's Disease Pre-Clinical Development Mouse Models

July 12, 2010 - Amorfix Quantifies Rate of Accumulation of Amyloid in Seven Mouse Models of AD – Amorfix Life Sciences, a company focused on treatments and diagnostics for misfolded protein diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), has used its A4 test to compare the rate of accumulation of aggregated Abeta in the brain tissue of various mouse models of AD. Amorfix presented this new data at the International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease (ICAD 2010) this week.
The paper presented by Amorfix entitled “Early Detection of Beta-Amyloid Aggregation in In Vivo and In Vitro Models of Alzheimer’s Disease” characterized seven different AD mouse models by quantitatively measuring the beta-amyloid (Abeta) aggregates in brain tissue from animals 1 month to 14 months of age. The accumulation of Abeta is the hallmark of AD in humans, and a number of cell-culture and animal models have been developed to mimic AD pathology. The A4 (Amorfix Aggregated Abeta Assay) was developed to provide a quantitative method for detection of aggregated species of Abeta... [PDF] Amorfix Life Sciences' Press Release -

Plexxikon : Novel Agent Significantly Inhibits Activation of Key CNS Cells Associated With Alzheimer's Disease

July 14, 2010 - Plexxikon Inc. announced promising preclinical data from in vivo Alzheimer’s Disease studies demonstrating a dramatic reduction in activated microglia in the brains of very old (22 months) 3xTG-AD mice, a triple transgenic model for Alzheimer’s Disease. This reduction of activated microglia led to significantly improved learning in the treated group. PLX3397 is an oral, brain-permeable, potent and selective inhibitor of a kinase target associated with Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (CSF-1), a cytokine which is necessary for the activation of microglia and proliferation of macrophages. These cells play key roles in inflammation and cancer. These data were presented yesterday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease in Honolulu, Hawaii... Plexxikon's Press Release -

Schwabe Pharmaceuticals : Major study shows that long-term intake of Ginkgo biloba special extract EGb 761® protects against Alzheimer's disease

22 June 2010 - For the very first time, a medicine has been shown to protect against the development of Alzheimer’s disease. French scientists were able to demonstrate that taking 240 mg of Ginkgo extract EGb 761® per day regularly over a period of at least 4 years can cut the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by nearly 50%.

“The results of the GuidAge study are remarkable”, according to Prof. Michael Habs, Managing Director at Dr. Willmar Schwabe GmbH & Co. KG, Karlsruhe, producers of EGb 761® (Tebonin®, pharmacy only). “It is the first time ever that a protective effect against Alzheimer’s disease has been demonstrated for a medicine. The multifaceted effects of the plant extract appear to positively influence the complex developmental processes of dementia.”

The GuidAge study was a large-scale study, in which 2854 elderly people with memory complaints were randomly assigned to receive either 240 mg/day of the patented Ginkgo special extract or a placebo for five years... Dr. Willmar Schwabe Pharmaceuticals' Press Release -

Watson Pharmaceuticals : Generic Exelon

July 1, 2010 - Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE: WPI) announced that, under a settlement with Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novartis Pharma AG, Novartis AG, Novartis International Pharmaceutical Ltd., and Proterra AG (collectively "Novartis"), Watson has commenced shipment of a generic version of Exelon(R) (rivastigmine tartrate) 1.5mg, 3mg, 4.5mg and 6mg capsules.

Exelon(R) is used to treat dementia (a brain disorder that affects the ability to remember, think clearly, communicate, and perform daily activities and may cause changes in mood and personality) in people with Alzheimer's disease... Watson Pharmaceuticals' Press Release -

GTX Corp and Aetrex Worldwide, Inc. : Licensing Agreement to Deliver Patented GPS Shoes Worldwide

June 30, 2010 – GTX Corp (OTCBB: GTXO), a leader in customizable, patented two‐way GPS Tracking Personal Location Services (PLS) solutions, received its first commercial order from Aetrex Worldwide, Inc. , a leading maker of orthotic and therapeutic shoes. Aetrex’s initial order for 3,000 GPS devices to be embedded in the Aetrex Ambulator® collection brings a durable, reliable solution for monitoring the location of the 5.3 million seniors in the US afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. GTX will begin to ship the devices this summer in order for Aetrex to prepare for the launch date which is scheduled to coincide with the National Alzheimer Association memory walks this fall.

GTX Corp’s GPS‐enabled shoes provide caregivers and loved ones a safe, unobtrusive means to easily find those afflicted with Alzheimer’s that might wander and become lost. GTX Corp’s eight patents for the GPS Shoe cover a GPS transceiver module that is placed within the shoe. The module transmits the wearer’s location coordinates to a central monitoring station which disseminates the location data through the use of proprietary software, cellular connectivity, the GTX Corp middleware platform and secure viewing portal... [PDF] GTX's Press Release - [PDF] Aetrex's Press Release -

Vermillion : Issuance of Patent for Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis

June 29, 2010 - Vermillion, Inc., a molecular diagnostics company, announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a notice of allowance of a patent entitled "Biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease" to the Company. The patent claims are directed to biomarker combinations for the diagnosis and management of Alzheimer's disease and to the measurement of the biomarkers by a variety of methods, including mass spectrometry and immunoassay... Vermillion's Press Release -

Intellect Neurosciences : Notice of Allowance for Patent on Alzheimer's Drug from the Israeli Patent and Trademark Office

June 9, 2010 / Intellect Neurosciences, Inc (OTCBB: ILNS) announced it has received a Notice of Allowance from the Israeli Patent and Trademark Office for a new patent related to the Company's clinical-stage drug candidate OX1 (OXIGON™), which has disease-modifying potential for Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative disorders. OX1, which has been successfully tested by the Company in human Phase I safety trials, is an orally-administered, brain-penetrating, naturally-occurring copper-binding small molecule targeting multiple mechanisms that contribute significantly to the underlying pathology of Alzheimer's disease... Intellect Neurosciences' Press Release -