Pharnext Pleodrug Update - good news!

[Guest guest]

We heard about Pharnext this past summer. At that time the company stated

Pleodrug trials would begin end of the year. So here we are - end of 2010 with

an update. Pharnext is a private, venture-capital biotech company.

A Pleodrug is a mixture of drugs already on the market for other diseases that

can help more diseases (like CMT) in new ways) meaning changing the chemistry

and combination of the drugs. (think 'cocktails' here)

READ ESPECIALLY THE LAST 2 PARAGRAPHS where it mentions CMT.

Some G O O D N E W S !!!

OSEO Pledges €10.4M for Alzheimer Diagnostic, Theranostic, and Therapeutic R & D

Collaborative program aims to develop Pleodrug based on Pharnext Pleotherapy

technology.

http://www.genengnews.com/gen-news-highlights/oseo-pledges-10-4m-funding-for-res\

earch-to-develop-ad-diagnostic-theranostic-and-therapeutic/81244263/

OSEO, the French state innovation agency, has pledged €10.4 million (about $14.3

million) to fund a six-year collaborative program led by Pharnext, focused on

developing an early-stage diagnostic for Alzheimer disease (AD) and a

corresponding therapeutic Pleodrug™.

The funding will take the form of a €2.7 million grant and €7.7 million loan.

The loan will only be repayable if the Dippal (diagnostic précoce et

Pléothérapie de la maladie d'Alzheimer) project is successful. Collaborating

with Pharnext will be biosystems international, the Bordeaux Center for Memory

Resources and Research, the Unviersity Bordeaux Segalen, and Inserm's

epidemiology and biostatistics unit U897.

The Dippal project has three main goals: To develop and validate a prototype

multiparameter blood test for the early diagnosis of AD; to discover and develop

a Pleodrug™ for the treatment of AD through to the end of Phase II; and to

develop a companion diagnostic for monitoring Pleodrug's effectiveness and

determining whether there are subpopulations of responder patients. The

prototype diagnostic, theranostic, and Pleodrug will subsequently be licensed

out to relevant industry partners for further development and commercialization.

Established in 2007, Pharnext is commercializing its pleotherapy platform, which

is based on network pharmacology. The associated discovery engine is designed to

identify rational drug combinations known as Pleodrugs, comprising cocktails of

low-dose, off-patent drugs that have already been approved for other diseases.

Pleodrugs are designed to target different mechanisms within the biological

processes associated with a particular disease, Pharnext explains. A number of

candidates are currently in development against a range of diseases, including

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, oxaliplatin-induced neuropathy, Charcot disease,

multiple sclerosis, diabetes, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis and polycystic

kidney disease.

In June Pharnext inked an exclusive research, development, and marketing

agreement with Ipsen for its lead candidate against Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

Under the terms of this agreement Pharnext will carry out development of the

Pleodrug to the end of Phase II clinical trials. Ipsen will then take over to

further the development and commercialization of the drug in Europe, the U.S.,

China, and certain other territories. Pharnext retains exclusive rights in other

key markets.