ReNeuron, the UK-based stem cell research and development company, is today presenting further pre-clinical efficacy data with its neural (brain) stem cell lines at the Society for Neuroscience 34th Annual Meeting (SfN) in San Diego, USA. Dr Kenny Pollock, ReNeuron’s Head of Stem Cell Biology, will give the platform presentation.
The Company has generated pre-clinical efficacy data in Huntington’s disease, a fatal degenerative disease of the brain, using two stable human neural (brain) stem cell lines pre-selected from ReNeuron’s library of stem cell lines. Injection of the cells into the damaged brain significantly improved sensory and motor reflexes impaired in the Huntington’s model.
The stem cell lines used were generated using ReNeuron’s proprietary c-mycERTAM technology, a fully controllable system for generating stem cell lines that are non-tumour-forming and have stable, normal genomes, both pre-requisites for future clinical development.
ReNeuron recently announced important pre-clinical efficacy data in stroke using ReN001, a stable human neural (brain) stem cell line derived from the cortex region of the brain. The Company will be presenting both its stroke and Huntington’s disease efficacy data at the SfN meeting.
ReNeuron is now progressing its ReN001 stem cell therapy for stroke into manufacturing scale-up and late pre-clinical development. Based on the pre-clinical efficacy data announced today, the Company has also initiated a stem cell therapy development programme for Huntington’s disease, designated ReN005. Progress with ReN005 will depend upon near term future success with the ReN001 stroke programme, as the Company intends to use the same cell line for both indications.
Commenting on the efficacy data, Dr John Sinden, Chief Scientific Officer of ReNeuron said:
“These results further demonstrate the advantages of ReNeuron’s c-mycERTAM stem cell technology along with our screening tools to select stable stem cell lines that demonstrate efficacy and safety. Using this technology, we have now generated stem cell lines with the potential to be clear winners in the regenerative medicine race.”
“Our ReN001 lead cell line is being developed as quickly as possible to treat stroke patients and early success with this programme will enable our ReN005 therapy for Huntington’s disease to be taken forward.”
Notes to editors
ReNeuron is a privately held UK bio-pharmaceutical company and a pioneer in stem cell research and development. The Company has leading edge, proprietary stem cell technologies from which it is developing groundbreaking cell therapy products. ReNeuron’s focus is on cell therapy treatments designed to reverse the effects of major diseases such as stroke, diabetes and diseases of the retina.
ReNeuron believes its approach to stem cell therapy confers significant advantages over competitor technologies, in terms of the Company’s ability to generate stable, functional cell lines with the characteristics necessary for scale-up to a viable cell therapy product capable of treating large patient populations.
ReNeuron has demonstrated convincing efficacy data in pre-clinical models of stroke and Huntington’s disease, and its ReN001 stem cell therapy for stroke is now being scaled up ahead of late pre-clinical development. The Company aims to have approval to commence clinical trials with ReN001 by the end of 2005.
ReNeuron has broadened its product pipeline by initiating programmes to develop stem cell therapies for Type 1 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and diseases of the retina. ReNeuron has also leveraged its stem cell technologies into non-therapeutic areas such as drug discovery � its ReNcell product.
More information on ReNeuron and its programmes can be found on the Company’s website at www.reneuron.com.
Huntington’s disease is an inherited, progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disorder. It is estimated that the incidence of the disease is one in every 10,000 people, with many more at risk of inheriting the disease from an affected parent. There is currently no cure for Huntington’s disease.
Further information
Dr John Sinden, Chief Scientific Officer, ReNeuron
Michael Hunt, Chief Operating Officer and Finance Director, ReNeuron
44 (0) 1483 302560
David Yates/Lucy Briggs, Financial Dynamics
44 (0) 20 7831 3113
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Reneuron SFN press release – PDF