TransMolecular, Inc. Receives Two Phase I SBIR Grants.Business/Health Editors BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--(BW HealthWire)--Sept. 21, 2000 TransMolecular, Inc., a neuroscience biotechnology company developing products to treat central nervous system disorders Nervous system disorders A satisfactory classification of diseases of the nervous system should include not only the type of reaction (congenital malformation, infection, trauma, neoplasm, vascular diseases, and degenerative, metabolic, toxic, or deficiency , announced today that it was awarded two Phase I Small Business Innovation Research ("SBIR SBIR Small Business Innovation Research (program/grant) SBIR Space Based Infra-Red SBIR Speaker-Boundary Interference SBIR Site Backsurface-referenced Ideal Plane/Range (silicon wafers) ") Grants. The first grant, in the amount of $128,351, is for the development of a novel sodium ion channel ion channel n. See channel. as a target for pain drug discovery. Pain is an important target for novel drug development. 86 million Americans suffer from some form of chronic pain. Medical economists estimate that pain disorders cost the U.S. economy $100 billion annually in lost productivity and medical care. The second grant, in the amount of $131,702, is for the study of peptide and recombinant toxin therapies based on the peptide chlorotoxin, a component of scorpion venom, for glioma glioma /gli·o·ma/ (gli-o´mah) a tumor composed of neuroglia in any of its states of development; sometimes extended to include all intrinsic neoplasms of the brain and spinal cord, as astrocytomas, ependymomas, etc. , a deadly cancer of the brain. These chlorotoxin-based therapeutics specifically target chloride ion channels found on gliomas and highly invasive peripheral neuroectodermal tumors such as melanoma, small cell lung carcinoma, and neuroblastoma Neuroblastoma Definition Neuroblastoma is a type of cancer that usually originates either in the tissues of the adrenal gland or in the ganglia of the abdomen or in the ganglia of the nervous system. . "The company is very excited about these two awards," said Matthew A. Gonda, Ph.D., TransMolecular's President and Chief Executive Officer, "as it will permit us to further develop our technology platforms in ion channels for the discovery of new treatments for two debilitating de·bil·i·tat·ing adj. Causing a loss of strength or energy. Debilitating Weakening, or reducing the strength of. Mentioned in: Stress Reduction diseases." About TransMolecular Founded in July 1996 by Dr. Stephen G. Waxman of Yale University and Dr. Harald W. Sontheimer of the University of Alabama at Birmingham UAB began in 1936 as the Birmingham Extension Center of the University of Alabama. Because of the rapid growth of the Birmingham area, it was decided that an extension program for students who had difficulties which prevented them from studying in Tuscaloosa was needed. Medical Center, TransMolecular is developing therapies and diagnoses for diseases of the central nervous system and related tissues. Matthew A. Gonda, Ph.D. joined the company in January of 1999 as its President, Chief Executive Officer, and also serves on the board of directors. Dr. Gonda has over 28 years of experience in the biotech and life sciences industries where he held senior management and executive positions. The company has targeted three diseases applicable to its technology platforms - cancer, edema edema (ĭdē`mə), abnormal accumulation of fluid in the body tissues or in the body cavities causing swelling or distention of the affected parts. , and neuropathic pain. It has a number of products for treating primary brain tumors in various stages of research and development, and expects to be in clinical trials next year. TransMolecular's technology platforms are based on ion channels that have been mined from and are selectively expressed in the central nervous system and related tissues; the company has exclusively licensed this technology from Yale University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. TransMolecular's molecular targeting approach for cancer is unique in that it identifies pathways or targets on tumor cells and destroys them without harming the normal cells. The company is using chlorotoxin, a component of the venom obtained from the giant yellow Israeli scorpion, Lerius quinquestriatus, as a drug delivery vehicle that binds specifically to ion channels found on primary brain tumors or gliomas, but not normal tissues. Various therapeutic entities can be attached to the 36-amino acid chlorotoxin peptide, including radioisotopes used in radiotherapy, cytotoxic chemicals, and cytolytic cytolytic pertaining to or emanating from cytolysis. cytolytic reactivity type II hypersensitivity. molecules. With its focus on brain cancer, the company is targeting a disease for which there is an unmet medical need. TransMolecular's products are likely to receive Orphan Drug status as only 20,000-24,000 patients are diagnosed with glioma each year. The company will apply for Fast Track development for its therapies for glioma with the FDA FDA abbr. Food and Drug Administration FDA, n.pr See Food and Drug Administration. FDA, n.pr the abbreviation for the Food and Drug Administration. . TransMolecular received its first round of financing in September 1997 from Tullis-Dickerson & Co., Inc., a prominent health care venture capital firm based in Greenwich, Connecticut. Tullis-Dickerson also participated in a recent Series B financing totaling $9 million. Additional participants in the second round were TVM TVM Time Value of Money (business, finance, economics) TVM Ticket Vending Machine TVM Thanks Very Much (logging abbreviation) TVM Transmission Voie Machine Techno Venture Management GmbH of Munich, Germany; President Life Sciences Co., Ltd., Taipei, Taiwan; Pacific Horizon Partners III, Seattle, Washington; and Portrush Group and Suttle Brothers Investments, both of Gadsden, Alabama. The company's board of directors consists of Gert Caspritz (TVM), Lyle Hohnke (Tullis-Dickerson), Matthew Gonda (CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. ), Stephen Waxman (Yale University), and Thomas Barton (Manatt, Phelps & Phillips). TransMolecular's corporate offices and R&D laboratories are located in Birmingham, Alabama. For more information, contact the company at (205) 870-3555. |
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