[ACCESSWIRE]
Possible Treatment for Glaucoma
POMONA, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 18, 2016 / Primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) is a major cause of irreversible blindness worldwide and is expected to become more prevalent as lifespan increases. Angle-closure produces a rapid rise in intraocular pressure (IOP), which results in retinal ischemia and retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death. While there has been significant progress in the understanding of the molecular/cellular mechanisms underlying RGC death, there are currently no treatments directly targeting these mechanisms. NeurAegis recently reported results with its selective calpain-2 inhibitor, NA 101, on a mouse model of acute glaucoma in a publication in Neurobiology of Disease: (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969996116301012).
NeurAegis scientists have identified a critical enzyme, calpain-2, which is activated early following increased intraocular pressure and is responsible for producing neuronal death. The company also found that a single systemic or intraocular injection of a selective calpain-2 inhibitor given 2 hours following increased IOP, prevented RGC death and loss of vision in mice. These results suggest the possibility of developing selective calpain-2 inhibitors for the treatment of acute glaucoma.
The company is currently pursuing the preclinical studies required to bring a selective calpain-2 inhibitor to the clinic for the treatment of acute glaucoma within the next 2-3 years.
About NeurAegis
NeurAegis has been founded to translate fundamental discoveries on the mechanisms of synaptic plasticity and neuronal survival/cell death into clinical applications. These discoveries are the results of over 30 years of research by the scientific co-founders, Michel Baudry, PhD, Dean of the Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences (Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA), and graduate from Ecole Polytechnique, Paris, France (X68), and Xiaoning Bi, MD, PhD, Professor, COMP (Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA), directed at understanding the roles of selective biochemical cascades in both synaptic plasticity and neuroprotection/neurodegeneration. NeurAegis has identified neuroprotection as a key focus for research and development, because of the high unmet needs and tremendous research potential in this therapeutic area. Much work has been conducted to identify the mechanisms underlying neuronal death and significant progress has been made over the last 10-20 years. Nevertheless, there is still no drug on the market that provides any significant degree of neuroprotection, especially within the crucial minutes to maximum of several hours following any brain insult that results in neuronal loss.
Contact information:
Michel Baudry, CEO, NeurAegis:
[email protected]
909.469.8271
SOURCE: NeurAegis
