Drug May Aid Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Patients

A study conducted at the University of Chieti (Italy) showed that a new drug was protective against neuronal injury induced by kainic acid in rats. The study, led by Dr. Renata Ciccarelli, was published in the June 2001 issue of Experimental Neurology. The drug is currently being tested in human trials for Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and spinal cord injury.

Kainic acid is a glutamate analog. While glutamate is a neurotransmitter required for brain function, too much glutamate results in nerve damage and death. Excess glutamate is known to play a role in neurologic disorders such as stroke and traumatic brain injury. The new drug, Neotrofin, is neuroprotective in the hippocampus, an area of the brain that is fundamental in memory and an area especially susceptible to brain insults. Neotrofin was developed by NeoTherapeutics, Inc. (Irvine, CA, USA). The company has been issued a U.S. patent covering Neotrofin's ability to protect neurons in the central and peripheral nervous system.

"We are very excited about Dr. Ciccarelli's research into Neotrofin's neuroprotective capacity, and are pleased to see her work recognized by this respected journal,” said Alvin J. Glasky, chairman and CEO of NeoTherapeutics. "This article is another important piece of the growing base of peer-reviewed scientific research and human clinical data supporting Neotrofin's potential.



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