Volume 9 Issue 3, September 2015

New company Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals is pioneering a novel approach to healing a damaged brain that involves activating energy supplies in astrocytes, the abundant star-shaped brain cells with a central role in repairing CNS injury.

Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institute that combines deep expertise in fundamental and translational science to discover innovative medicines and diagnostics.

By hijacking one of the body’s own transport methods, biOasis has identified a natural route to treat disorders of the central nervous system.

A leader in CNS specialty medicine sales in the United States and in the top five globally, Teva Pharmaceuticals is actively looking to expand its CNS portfolio further.

Imanova helps companies accelerate their drug development programs by providing imaging tools for de-risking lead compounds early in humans, thereby reducing late-stage attrition.

The Institut Pasteur is harnessing a powerful combination of in-house research strengths to explore the relationship between the microbiome and the brain. The institute is looking for partners eager to take advantage of this unique opportunity to learn more about the gut–brain axis.

Titan Pharmaceuticals’ ProNeura implant offers an alternative to oral administration by providing stable medication levels for up to 12 months.

Probiodrug’s novel approach targets a modified form of β-amyloid, which has a key role in the creation of toxic Aβ oligomers. The company’s lead product is a first-in-class oral small-molecule glutaminyl cyclase inhibitor.

Although specific age-related disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease continue to be a focus of research and development investment and dealmaking activity, companies are also beginning to approach aging in a broader way.

Regenerative medicine company International Stem Cell Corporation (ISCO) leads the way in developing new treatments for Parkinson’s disease and other clinical conditions using a unique stem cell approach.

Big pharma’s interest in the therapeutic potential of modulating the body’s own bacterial ecosystem is growing, particularly with regard to the treatment of inflammatory disorders.

Using a unique combination of computational chemistry, pharmacology and cheminformatics methods, Re-Pharm is successfully reprofiling marketed compounds as early stage candidates ready for partnering.

Early-stage drug screening. Brainwave-Discovery provides medium throughput drug screening in early stage drug discovery for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases.