Pleotherapy technology

[Lorie]

A PALS Friend sent this to me. Interesting but I need to get more detailed information.

Ipsen and Pharnext to collaborate on Pleotherapy technology
15 June, 2009

Ipsen, a French pharmaceutical group and Pharnext, a biopharmaceutical company specialising in the development of innovative treatments, have signed an exclusive research, development and marketing agreement on drug candidates for treating Charcot Marie-Tooth disease, issued from Pleotherapy technology.

Pharnext will develop Pleotherapy-based drug candidates for the treatment of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease until completion of Phase II clinical trials.

Ipsen will market the product in Europe, US, China and certain other territories. Pharnext retains exclusive rights in other key territories.

Ipsen has acquired an exclusive option on Pharnext’s programme on Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and subscribes to the issuing of convertible bonds.


Daniel Cohen, Pharnext's founder and ceo, said: ‘We have great confidence in Ipsen’s ability successfully to exploit Pharnext's technology and drug candidates for the benefit of Charcot-Marie-Tooth patients. We believe that Pleotherapy will generate many novel therapies in the central nervous system disease area and, indeed, other fields of medicine.’

In case the option is exercised at the end of a positive phase II clinical trial, Ipsen will pay Pharnext milestones up to €91m, as well as royalties on net product sales and will have the ability to convert its convertible bonds into Pharnext shares.

If Ipsen develops the drug candidate in an indication other than Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, the companies will discuss the payment of additional development milestones.

 

[GlenBrittle]

OK ... what is pleotherapy technology ?

I found pelotherapy - theraputic mud baths , but a lot of articles are written just as it is spelled.

The articles talk mostly about money to be paid if it works out. go figure. That stinks I say.

"If you fart in a mud bath , does it rise to the top , or just sit there in waiting to surprise the next person?"

Glen

 

[lynster]

I agree with Glen. Mud baths are fun and relaxing, but not what I would consider a valid treatment for ALS. I am sure the therapies described may relieve something, but I have a feeling that it would relieve you of the money in your wallet!

Lynn

 

[Lorie]

I Agree Glen

You are so funny though, Huh?

Lorie

 

[trfogey]

Here's the only information about Pharnext that I could find that is unrelated to this particular announcement:

* Pharnext is a Paris-based biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of innovative treatments for severe neurological diseases. The company's proprietary "drug repositioning" approach consists in identifying the common drug molecular targets between unrelated diseases, testing existing drugs on newly identified indications, and developing drug combinations for such new indications, such as orphan diseases by. Founded in 2007 by an internationally renowned team led by Professor Daniel Cohen, responsible for many discoveries in medical genetics, Pharnext is focusing on severe neurodegenerative disease in general, and peripheral neuropathies in particular (Charcot Marie Tooth disease), which affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

* Following a seed investment of €3.5 million by founding and sole investor Truffle Capital in December 2007 and an Oseo grant of €3.4 million, Pharnext plans to broaden its strategy to include other handicapping conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease.

Here's a brief description of "pleotherapy" that appears to confirm the "drug repositioning" description stated above:

The potential compounds were developed using Pharnext's pleotherapy, a technology platform which is designed to develop new therapies from mixtures of off-patent drugs which have been approved for other diseases. In addition to Charcot Marie-Tooth disease, Pharnext is using the technology to explore treatments for "Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia and inherited disorders including cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Down syndrome," according to BioWorld.

The best way to describe "drug repositioning" would be "old drug, new purpose" -- basically, using a drug developed, tested, and approved to treat one disease as a treatment for another disease. Think Viagra or Rogaine, both of which were originally developed to treat hypertension, but achieved far greater success treating other conditions. Since the drug has already passed many of the regulatory hurdles in its first incarnation, repurposing the drug to treat other conditions should be a quicker process, needing fewer trials than a new drug requires. I'm guessing "pleotherapy" is just a fancy name for whatever research processes and other intellectual property that Pharnext is using to come up with its drug candidates. Note that the word "pleotherapy" has been trademarked.

Nice to see somebody poking around the edges of orphan diseases.

 

[CB1977]

I think that Dimebon (dimebolin hydrochloride) is one of those drugs. It is showing promise at treating Alzheimer's and was a antihistimine used inthe 80's in Russia.

 

[GlenBrittle]

I think that Dimebon (dimebolin hydrochloride) is one of those drugs. It is showing promise at treating Alzheimer's and was a antihistimine used in the 80's in Russia.

But what does that have to do with ALS / MND ?

I do not see the relationship of that statement and the rest of the thread. Can you explain it to me ?

{{see , I didnt use the words fart or mud in that response. }}