Present Novel Parkinson's Disease Treatment Results
Sydney, Mar 22, 2012 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Living Cell Technologies Limited's (
ASX:LCT) (OTCQX:LVCLY) Medical Director, Emeritus Professor Robert Elliott, presented for the first time the results of pre-clinical trials of NTCELL therapy in non-human primate models of Parkinson's disease at BioPharma Asia 2012.
LCT is a global leader in developing cell transplant therapies to treat chronic disease and NTCELL is LCT's lead product for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. NTCELL has been developed using LCT's pioneering animal-cell-based transplantation and encapsulation platform.
The pre-clinical studies were performed in animals in which a Parkinson's-like condition had been induced. In all of the studies, transplantation of NTCELL into the affected brain regions reduced movement disorders and neurological defects associated with the disease compared to controls, which received only empty capsules. The improvements in symptoms were seen within two weeks and persisted for at least six months, the end-point of the trial. Microscopic analysis of both treated and untreated brain regions clearly showed an increase in the number of dopamine producing neurons in the NTCELL treated subjects compared to controls. In addition, there was no cellular or pathological evidence of inflammation or other adverse event.
Professor Robert Elliott said, "Today we have presented a comprehensive suite of pre-clinical data in small animal and non-human primate studies which show an astonishing recovery of the part of the brain affected in Parkinson's disease, as well as a more than 50% improvement in the devastating movement and neurological symptoms of the disease. We are now compiling an application to New Zealand's medicines safety authority, Medsafe, to start Phase I clinical trials in Parkinson's patients. Pending regulatory authorisation, LCT expects to begin these trials by the end of Q1 2013."
Dr Andrea Grant, Chief Executive Officer of LCT said, "BioPharma Asia is the leading forum through which the most influential decision makers in the Asian and global biopharmaceutical industry forge partnerships. We are delighted to have been invited to present our unprecedented results of NTCELL in Parkinson's as a plenary."
About Living Cell Technologies Limited
Living Cell Technologies Limited (ASX:LCT) (OTCMKTS:LVCLY) is a New Zealand biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercialising regenerative cell treatments which restore function using naturally occurring cells.
LCT’s lead product NTCELL(R) is an alginate coated capsule containing clusters of neonatal porcine choroid plexus cells. After transplantation NTCELL functions as a biological factory producing neurotrophic factors to prevent and repair disease induced nerve degeneration.
The Phase I/IIa NTCELL clinical trial in New Zealand for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease met the primary endpoint of safety and showed encouraging clinical efficacy. A Phase IIb trial has been designed to further evaluate NTCELLs potential as a disease-modifying treatment for patients with Parkinson’s disease.
NTCELL has the potential to be used in a number of other central nervous system degenerative diseases such as Huntington’s, Alzheimer’s and motor neurone diseases.
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