Neuronyx Announces Agreement with Centocor.Business Editors/Health & Medical Writers Neuronyx, Inc. announced that it has entered into an agreement with Centocor, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, for the development of cardiovascular therapies based on stem cells stem cells, unspecialized human or animal cells that can produce mature specialized body cells and at the same time replicate themselves. Embryonic stem cells are derived from a blastocyst (the blastula typical of placental mammals; see embryo), which is very young derived by Neuronyx from adult human bone marrow. "We are pleased that Centocor, a leading biopharmaceutical company with expertise and interest in the cardiovascular arena, will be working with our cells," said Hubert Schoemaker, Neuronyx's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We believe these cells have the potential to improve cardiovascular outcomes following acute injury, such as myocardial infarction myocardial infarction: see under infarction. , as well as chronic indications, such as congestive heart failure congestive heart failure, inability of the heart to expel sufficient blood to keep pace with the metabolic demands of the body. In the healthy individual the heart can tolerate large increases of workload for a considerable length of time. , by facilitating the generation of new heart muscle or by replacing damaged cardiac tissue." Under the agreement, Centocor and Neuronyx will conduct collaborative research, with Centocor taking responsibility for development and commercialization. Neuronyx will receive an up-front payment and research support, is entitled to receive milestone payments upon certain regulatory events, and will manufacture the adult human bone marrow-derived cells for all phases of the collaboration. Neuronyx is a development-stage biopharmaceutical company located in Malvern, Pennsylvania, focused on discovering, developing and delivering new medicines by applying unique technologies in adult stem cell Adult stem cells are undifferentiated cells found throughout the body that divide to replenish dying cells and regenerate damaged tissues. Also known as somatic (from Greek Σωματικรณς, of the body biology. This technology utilizes special cells that reside in adult bone marrow and that under certain conditions, have the ability to mature into a variety of specialized cells that may be used to treat a variety of conditions. Neuronyx has developed a proprietary process for isolating and expanding these cells to provide extremely large, homogeneous cell populations with desirable therapeutic characteristics. Neuronyx's most advanced cell product development programs address spinal cord injury Spinal Cord Injury Definition Spinal cord injury is damage to the spinal cord that causes loss of sensation and motor control. Description Approximately 10,000 new spinal cord injuries (SCIs) occur each year in the United States. , brain tumor Brain Tumor Definition A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue in the brain. Unlike other tumors, brain tumors spread by local extension and rarely metastasize (spread) outside the brain. and Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease or Parkinsonism, degenerative brain disorder first described by the English surgeon James Parkinson in 1817. When there is no known cause, the disease usually appears after age 40 and is referred to as Parkinson's disease. . |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion