Neurodegeneration
Oxidative stress occurs in cells when the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) exceeds intracellular antioxidant defenses. Oxidative stress has been implicated in many disease states involving neurodegeneration, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, HIV-associated dementia, Ataxia-telangiectasia, and Friedreich’s Ataxia.¹ Halting or slowing the progression of neurodegeneration in these diseases holds significant commercial potential for development of GVT®.
Target potential indications for GVT® include use as adjunct therapy for the treatment of neurodegenerative conditions including:
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Parkinson's Disease
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
- Ataxia-telangiectasia
- Friedreich’s Ataxia
Non-Clinical / Clinical Results.
In non-clinical studies in mice infected with a virus that leads to a neurodegenerative condition (ts1-induced oxidative stress), GVT® suppressed oxidative stress and prevented or delayed neurodegenerative effects such as paralysis, body wasting, thymic atrophy, spongiform encephalopathy (human form of mad cow disease) and death.
A study conducted at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center demonstrated a correlation between oxidative stress and ts1-induced neurodegeneration in treated mice. This study demonstrated that GVT® is effective in suppressing ts1-induced oxidative stress, cell death, and pathogenesis in both the central nervous system (CNS) and the thymus of treated mice.
| Study Name |
Name of Research Institution and Principal Investigator (s) |
Completion Date |
| In vivo and in vitro studies of the effects of α-luminol in two diseases (lymphoma & neurodegeneration) involving oxidative stress |
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson
Cancer Center
Dr. Paul K.Y. Wong
|
Completed |
| Effect of monosodium luminol on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelophy using CJL mice |
Northwestern University
Dr. Wenan Qiang |
Completed 2008. |
Commercial Potential for GVT®
Large Market:
The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that by 2040 neurodegenerative diseases will overtake cancer to become the second leading cause of death, after cardiovascular disease. Diseases cited include:
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Multiple Sclerosis
- AIDS related dementia
Unmet Needs Remain
Currently there are no drug therapies that effectively and safely prevent further neuronal degeneration, control symptoms and ameliorate related complications in this important human disease area.
It has been demonstrated that GVT® can safely achieve many of those goals in non-clinical studies. It therefore offers significant commercial potential as a single therapeutic agent or in combination with others depending on the indication.
Case Study Example
Alzheimer ’s disease (AD) represents a market in which there are relatively few products available and a potential target indication for GVT®. AD is a leading cause of death among the elderly and is characterized by the progressive death of nerve cells in the brain.
Alzheimer’s affects 4.5 million Americans and over 30 million people worldwide. The current U.S. drug market for AD is approximately $3 billion per year, and is estimated to double by 2010. The total number of AD patients in the U.S. will triple by 2050 meaning that AD will inevitably remain a major public health concern in the future. In a report commissioned by the Alzheimer’s Association, caregiver costs in the U.S. were found to be approximately $36 billion.
These figures underscore the benefit of disease-modifying drugs in reducing the socioeconomic burden of Alzheimer’s disease. The improvement of health outcomes resulting from even a modest delay in disease onset, combined with a decrease in severity and a slowing of disease progression in many patients, would represent a large reduction in future healthcare costs and societal burdens related to Alzheimer’s.
Reference:
1. Jiang, Journal of Virology, May 2006, p. 4557-4569
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