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Brandon Capital Opens Second $5M Funding Round for Dementia Innovation Program

Neurology
  • Brandon Capital has launched the second funding round for its CUREator+ Dementia and Cognitive Decline incubator program, offering up to $5 million per project to support innovative dementia solutions.
  • The program targets the development of therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices, and digital health technologies for Australia's 433,300 dementia patients and 1.7 million caregivers.
  • Funded by Australia's Medical Research Future Fund, the initiative provides non-dilutive grants through a competitive merit-based process with applications closing July 10, 2025.
  • Eligible projects span early diagnosis, progression prevention, symptom management, and quality of life improvements across preclinical, clinical, and commercial development stages.

World-First Octopus Trial Offers New Hope for Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Neurology
  • The innovative Octopus trial represents the world's first multi-armed, multi-staged clinical study specifically designed to test multiple potential treatments for progressive multiple sclerosis simultaneously.
  • The trial is evaluating metformin and lipoic acid against placebo in progressive MS patients, utilizing adaptive design methodology previously successful in cancer and COVID-19 research.
  • More than 75,000 people in the UK suffer from progressive MS, a devastating condition with virtually no available treatments that causes gradual worsening without remission.
  • The MS Society is funding this groundbreaking research through their Stop MS Campaign, aiming to address the critical unmet medical need in progressive forms of the disease.

Sun Pharma Invests $25 Million in Pharmazz, Expanding Stake to 22.7% and Securing Key Drug Rights

Neurology
  • Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd has announced a strategic $25 million investment in US-based Pharmazz Inc, increasing its ownership stake to 22.7% in the biopharmaceutical company.
  • The investment will be completed in stages, with an initial $10 million tranche plus $7.5 million from a previous agreement by May 2025, and an additional $15 million expected by November 2025.
  • Through this investment, Sun Pharma secures exclusive rights to market Sovateltide in select emerging markets and gains options to negotiate licensing rights in certain developed countries.

Assess the Safety and Efficacy of Sovateltide in Patients With Acute Cerebral Ischemic Stroke

NCT05691244Not Yet RecruitingPhase 3
Pharmazz, Inc.
Posted 7/1/2025

Curatis Reveals Corticorelin as Active Substance in C-PTBE-01 with Billion-Dollar Market Potential

OncologyNeurology
  • Curatis has disclosed that Corticorelin is the active substance in its C-PTBE-01 therapy for peritumoral brain edema (PTBE), with potential to reduce or eliminate steroid use in treatment.
  • The company has significantly increased its market size estimates, now projecting over 500,000 PTBE patients globally and a market opportunity exceeding USD 1 billion.
  • Curatis is targeting an FDA meeting in Q3 2024 to finalize the design of a pivotal Phase 3 trial planned for 2026, while strengthening its team with key appointments in clinical development and technical operations.

Texas A&M Researcher's Umbilical Cord Cell Therapy Shows Promise for ALS Treatment in Clinical Trials

NeurologyFDA Approval
  • Dr. Simrit Parmar at Texas A&M University has developed an innovative umbilical cord blood-derived T regulatory cell therapy that has demonstrated safety and efficacy in treating over 80 patients with ALS and other inflammatory diseases.
  • The therapy addresses inflammation using Treg cells that do not require donor-recipient matching and can be manufactured at scale from a single cord blood unit, with products remaining viable for up to three years when frozen.
  • Recent studies published in NEJM Evidence showed functional improvement in ALS patients following multiple infusions, while a historic partnership with Saudi Arabia's King Faisal Specialist Hospital will launch new clinical trials.
  • Dr. Parmar aims to secure FDA regulatory approval within two years for aplastic anemia treatment while seeking expanded funding for larger ALS patient studies in the United States.

Ulefnersen Shows Unprecedented Recovery in Young Patients with Rare FUS-ALS

Rare DiseasePrecision MedicineNeurology
  • Columbia University researchers report that ulefnersen, an experimental drug, demonstrated remarkable efficacy in treating FUS-ALS, a rare genetic form of ALS affecting young people.
  • In a small case series of 12 patients, two showed exceptional responses, including one young woman who regained the ability to walk and breathe independently after treatment.
  • The therapy reduced neurofilament light, a biomarker of nerve damage, by up to 83% after six months, suggesting potential for not just slowing but reversing functional losses in early intervention.

Ruxolitinib Shows Promise in Treating CAR T-Cell Therapy-Induced Parkinsonism in Multiple Myeloma

CAR-TNeurologyOncology
  • Researchers report successful treatment of ciltacabtagene autoleucel-induced parkinsonism in multiple myeloma patients using the JAK inhibitor ruxolitinib, offering a potential solution for this serious complication.
  • Both patients developed immune effector cell-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis-like syndrome (IEC-HS) alongside parkinsonism, suggesting a possible connection between these conditions in CAR T-cell therapy recipients.
  • The findings are particularly significant as CAR T-cell therapy expands to earlier treatment lines for multiple myeloma, highlighting the urgent need for effective management strategies for neurological complications.

Biogen Sues Neurimmune Over Rights to Novel Alzheimer's Bispecific Antibody Technology

NeurologyMonoclonal Antibody
  • Biogen has filed a lawsuit against Neurimmune seeking declaratory judgment that their 2007 Collaboration Agreement does not give Neurimmune rights to Biogen's bispecific antibody technology for Alzheimer's disease.
  • The disputed technology features a bispecific antibody that targets both the transferrin receptor on the blood-brain barrier and amyloid-beta plaques, potentially offering a novel approach to Alzheimer's treatment.
  • Biogen claims the antibody is part of their proprietary Tissue-Enhanced Delivery Platform designed to help molecules cross the blood-brain barrier, which was developed independently of their collaboration with Neurimmune.

Merck KGaA Acquires ApTOLL from aptaTargets for Acute Ischemic Stroke Treatment

Neurology
  • Spanish biopharmaceutical company aptaTargets has transferred ApTOLL, a first-in-class TLR4 antagonist for acute ischemic stroke, to Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany in an October 2024 agreement.
  • ApTOLL demonstrated positive safety and efficacy results in Phase 1b/2a trials, showing reduced mortality and improved functional recovery, and received PRIME designation from the European Medicines Agency in 2023.
  • The transaction includes an upfront payment, milestone payments, and royalties, with Merck KGaA planning to advance ApTOLL to Phase 2b trials by 2026.

Route 92 Medical's HiPoint 88 Reperfusion System Achieves Record First Pass Effect in Stroke Thrombectomy Trial

Neurology
  • The SUMMIT MAX clinical trial demonstrated the HiPoint 88 Reperfusion System achieved an unprecedented 84% first pass effect in stroke thrombectomy procedures, significantly outperforming conventional catheters.
  • Route 92 Medical has secured FDA 510(k) clearance for its HiPoint 88 Reperfusion System, becoming the first stroke treatment system with a super-bore direct aspiration label.
  • The system's innovative design reduced the need for adjunctive devices by 49% compared to conventional catheters, potentially improving patient outcomes through faster blood flow restoration.

A Randomized, Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Effectiveness of the Route 92 Medical Reperfusion System (SUMMIT MAX)

NCT05018650CompletedNot Applicable
Route 92 Medical, Inc.
Posted 12/21/2021
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