REPORT ON NEUROPROTECTION FOR CNS DISORDERS RELEASED.

Jain PharmaBiotech, Basel, Switzerland, has released a report titled "Neuroprotection for CNS Disorders: Commercial Opportunities". The report describes the role of neuroprotection in acute disorders such as stroke and injuries of the nervous system as well as in chronic diseases such as neurodegenerative disorders because many of the underlying mechanisms of damage to neural tissues are similar in all these conditions and several products are used in more than one disorder. Over 130 products have been investigated for neuroprotective effects including those from the categories of free radical scavengers, anti-excitotoxic agents, apoptosis (programmed cell death) inhibitors, anti-inflammatory agents, neurotrophic factors, metal ion chelators, ion channel modulators and gene therapy. Some of the agents are old established pharmaceuticals whereas others are new biotechnology products.

Pathomechanisms of diseases are described with steps at which neuroprotective therapies are directed. Diseases covered include cerebrovascular disorders, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and ischemic optic neuropathy. Although anesthetics such as propofol are neuroprotective as well, neuroprotection during surgery and anesthesia is discussed with the aim of preventing and treating complications that result in CNS damage.

The 205-page report contains a profile of 50 companies that have a neuroprotective product or products. Some of the products in development at academic institutions that do not have a commercial sponsor are also included. Although an up-to-date search of the literature was performed and selected 250 references are included, a considerable amount of information has not been published anywhere else. Clinical trials of various neuroprotective agents are described and failures of trials in stroke and head injury are analyzed with suggestions for improving the selection of drugs and design of trials.

Market analysis shows that products currently used that have a neuroprotective effect have a market value of $970 million out of a CNS market value of $15.5 billion in all these areas. Some of these products are approved for other indications but are known to have a neuroprotective effect. With the approval of new products and takeover of markets for obsolete symptomatic therapies, the neuroprotection market value will rise to $4 billion by year 2005 and $11.5 billion by the year 2010 when it will constitute a major and important component of the CNS market. By that time neuroprotection will be an established part of the neurological practice and measures will be available to achieve this effectively.

Jain PharmaBiotech is a research and documentation company that also provides consulting services in biotechnology and neurology. Twenty-three reports have been prepared at the company during the past five years and most of these have been printed and marketed by publishers such as PJB Publications (UK), D & MD Division of International Business Communications, Reuters Business Insight and Decision Resources (Waltham, Massachusetts).

For more information, contact Kewal Jain at Jain PharmaBiotech, Blaesiring 7, CH-4057 Basel, Switzerland, Telephone: [phone], E-mail: [e-mail] or visit http://pharmabiotech.ch.