ardalon
Active member
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2014
- Messages
- 61
- Reason
- PALS
- Diagnosis
- 07/2013
- Country
- DE
- State
- Germany
- City
- Jossgrund
Hi everyboy,
would like to share the following article. Tried to translate it, did my best.
Ulrich Bogdan on the road to a therapy for people with ALS
18.09.2014
The neurologist Ulrich Bogdan intends to stimulate the body's own (endogenous) stem cells so that they regenerate damaged cells in the nervous system.
Currently, the medical director of the Neurological University Clinic in Regensburg is researching for an effective therapy for the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Bogdahns idea: to grow nerve cells in patients again. This research idea the 63-year-old physician wants transfer into clinical practice. As one of seven winners of this year's "Founding Competition Biotechnology GO-Bio" his ambitious projects will be supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research with approximately 150 Million Euros.
“We just want to do our homework. To become the sunshine boy, it is still too early, "he says Despite initial success, the neurologist Bogdahn demands modesty,because there is still a long way to go for a therapy that heals ALS. Bogdahn studied in Marburg and Freiburg medicine, specializing in neurology, he doctorated on the subject of immunology. In his habilitation in Würzburg (German city)Bogdahn dealt with experimental brain tumor therapy, a field in which he also served as long as specialized clinician. Since 1997 he has been the medical director and founder of the Neurological University Clinic of the University of Regensburg, related to clinical research for many years.
ALS damage
Since 2005 Bogdahn has been busy with the topic neurodegeneration and oncology, with a special focus on the ALS. To date, the disease cannot be treated or cured. However, Bogdahn and his team from the University Hospital Regensburg - who are also involved in the German Network for motor neuron disorders, have taken a major step forward. The first breakthrough was the discovery that the molecule called TGF-beta plays a crucial role in the formation of new nerve cells from stem cells of the central nervous system. "This molecule occurs in abundance during inflammation and degenerative processes. When present in large quantities, the formation of new nerve cells will be more slowed down than already due to old age, "explains the researcher. In the next step Bogdahn and his team developed a concept, to make the damage to the brain in ALS visible. The researchers rely on imaging techniques, neurophysiologic methods and stem cell markers. Together they allow assessing the course of treatment. "We have been able to track these biomarkers on over 20 patients with ALS during the course of their treatment."
Stimulate the body's own stem cells neurogenesis
Perseverance paid off for Bogdahns team. Their results convinced the jury in April of this year GO-Bio competition, in the start-up teams from BMBF promising projects receive start up funding. The project of ALS researchers is supported in the coming years in the millions. "We want the body's own stem cells to better repair the neurodegenerative damage or to compensate at least better," said Bogdahn. The therefore necessary drug they have already developed. This is a so-called antisense agent which is introduced in the form of a mini-gene probe specific to the brain ventricles, where it reduces activity of the molecule TGF-beta. By continuous application of this drug, the researchers hope to regenerate the ALS central nervous system's ability to form new nerve cells.
In the first phase of the GO-Bio project, the research group of neurologists Ulrich Bogdahn wants to develop their drug so that it soon may be tested in clinical trials on patients. "I assume that we have the drug available in the latest two and a half years for clinical uses, maybe even sooner." In addition, the biomarker should be further perfected, so that they allow conclusions on the effect on individual patients.
In the second phase, the clinical development of the drug and the start of a biotech company called are "Campo Euro Pharma" in order to bring the ALS therapy on the market. The links with industry are, according to Bogdahn, already "very promising". And it seems to be the next milestone is within reach ". Bringing the disease to a halt at the time of the diagnosis, at least for the majority of patients," says Bogdahn. Yet, the physician lowers exaggerated expectations. The ALS is a very complex disease with very complex genetics. "From the outset a very cautious optimism should be maintained until we see the first clean clinical data," says Bogdahn.
Source: Prof. Dr. med Ulrich Bogdahn
original article:
Biotechnologie - Startseite
would like to share the following article. Tried to translate it, did my best.
Ulrich Bogdan on the road to a therapy for people with ALS
18.09.2014
The neurologist Ulrich Bogdan intends to stimulate the body's own (endogenous) stem cells so that they regenerate damaged cells in the nervous system.
Currently, the medical director of the Neurological University Clinic in Regensburg is researching for an effective therapy for the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Bogdahns idea: to grow nerve cells in patients again. This research idea the 63-year-old physician wants transfer into clinical practice. As one of seven winners of this year's "Founding Competition Biotechnology GO-Bio" his ambitious projects will be supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research with approximately 150 Million Euros.
“We just want to do our homework. To become the sunshine boy, it is still too early, "he says Despite initial success, the neurologist Bogdahn demands modesty,because there is still a long way to go for a therapy that heals ALS. Bogdahn studied in Marburg and Freiburg medicine, specializing in neurology, he doctorated on the subject of immunology. In his habilitation in Würzburg (German city)Bogdahn dealt with experimental brain tumor therapy, a field in which he also served as long as specialized clinician. Since 1997 he has been the medical director and founder of the Neurological University Clinic of the University of Regensburg, related to clinical research for many years.
ALS damage
Since 2005 Bogdahn has been busy with the topic neurodegeneration and oncology, with a special focus on the ALS. To date, the disease cannot be treated or cured. However, Bogdahn and his team from the University Hospital Regensburg - who are also involved in the German Network for motor neuron disorders, have taken a major step forward. The first breakthrough was the discovery that the molecule called TGF-beta plays a crucial role in the formation of new nerve cells from stem cells of the central nervous system. "This molecule occurs in abundance during inflammation and degenerative processes. When present in large quantities, the formation of new nerve cells will be more slowed down than already due to old age, "explains the researcher. In the next step Bogdahn and his team developed a concept, to make the damage to the brain in ALS visible. The researchers rely on imaging techniques, neurophysiologic methods and stem cell markers. Together they allow assessing the course of treatment. "We have been able to track these biomarkers on over 20 patients with ALS during the course of their treatment."
Stimulate the body's own stem cells neurogenesis
Perseverance paid off for Bogdahns team. Their results convinced the jury in April of this year GO-Bio competition, in the start-up teams from BMBF promising projects receive start up funding. The project of ALS researchers is supported in the coming years in the millions. "We want the body's own stem cells to better repair the neurodegenerative damage or to compensate at least better," said Bogdahn. The therefore necessary drug they have already developed. This is a so-called antisense agent which is introduced in the form of a mini-gene probe specific to the brain ventricles, where it reduces activity of the molecule TGF-beta. By continuous application of this drug, the researchers hope to regenerate the ALS central nervous system's ability to form new nerve cells.
In the first phase of the GO-Bio project, the research group of neurologists Ulrich Bogdahn wants to develop their drug so that it soon may be tested in clinical trials on patients. "I assume that we have the drug available in the latest two and a half years for clinical uses, maybe even sooner." In addition, the biomarker should be further perfected, so that they allow conclusions on the effect on individual patients.
In the second phase, the clinical development of the drug and the start of a biotech company called are "Campo Euro Pharma" in order to bring the ALS therapy on the market. The links with industry are, according to Bogdahn, already "very promising". And it seems to be the next milestone is within reach ". Bringing the disease to a halt at the time of the diagnosis, at least for the majority of patients," says Bogdahn. Yet, the physician lowers exaggerated expectations. The ALS is a very complex disease with very complex genetics. "From the outset a very cautious optimism should be maintained until we see the first clean clinical data," says Bogdahn.
Source: Prof. Dr. med Ulrich Bogdahn
original article:
Biotechnologie - Startseite
