Neuro Therapeutics

Neuro Therapeutics Inc. (NTI) is a privately held biomedical company developing therapies to promote the functional repair of the damaged spinal cord and brain. The lead technology for NTI involves a patented and patent-pending process for the transient immunological suppression of myelin surrounding a CNS injury site. In animal models of spinal cord injury, the temporary removal of myelin has been shown to promote the regeneration of injured neurons leading to improved functional outcomes.

NTI has developed two new proprietary technologies that target G-protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs). GPCRs have long proven to be clinically relevant drug targets. They account for nearly half of all the pharmaceutical drugs on the market and drugs targeting GPCRs are associated with a very wide range of therapeutic categories including, central nervous system (CNS) disorders. NTI has developed a proprietary, cell-based functional assay system for the expression of human GPCRs, which is our Core Assay Technology. NTI's Core Assay Technology, in combination with patient-based pharmacogenomics approaches, will allow us to develop second-generation drugs with significantly enhanced efficacy and reduced side effects. In addition, it will allow NTI to develop new drugs targeting specific sub-groups of individuals with a CNS disorder (e.g. chronic pain after spinal cord injury) that are poorly served by the current "one drug fits all" model.

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Therapeutics

Neuro Therapeutics Inc. (NTI) is engaged in an active pre-clinical program for the development of effective immunological protocols to stimulate improved regeneration of injured neurons after traumatic injury of the spinal cord or brain.

The leading technology is based on discoveries made by members of CORD (Collaboration On Repair Discoveries) at The University of British Columbia (UBC). NTI, a spin-off company of UBC, holds worldwide rights to intellectual property invented at UBC by NTI’s co-founders. We have provided a graphic animation explaining how the technology improves neuronal regeneration.

The patented and patent-pending immunological composition and protocol employs the administration of components of the serum complement protein cascade, along with a myelin-specific antibody that has a high affinity for serum complement. Based on animal experiments, benefit is incurred by the direct infusion of the immunological composition into the damaged region of the injured central nervous system (CNS). The myelin-specific antibody serves to direct and limit the attack by serum complement to CNS myelin.

This experimental therapy temporarily eliminates or disrupts myelin surrounding the injury site. Previous studies have demonstrated that the presence of CNS myelin (made by oligodendroglial cells of the CNS) inhibits the effective regeneration of neurons after injury. After the immunological therapy is discontinued and the neurons have functionally regenerated, subsequent maturing oligodendroglial cells will replace the CNS myelin.

Target Discovery

NTI has developed two new proprietary technologies that target G-protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs). GPCRs are the largest family of cell surface receptors in the human body and thus are among the major control points for coordinating physiological processes in the body. They span the surface membrane of all cells and receive signals both from other cells in the body and from the environment. The activated GPCR transduces this signal, through a biochemical cascade pathway, to the nucleus where it triggers the appropriate physiological response by modifying gene expression patterns.

GPCRs have long proven to be clinically relevant drug targets. Over 300 of the GPCR genes have been identified to date; however, all estimates suggest there are about 1,000 additional GPCRs in the human genome. While only about 15% of the GPCRs in the human body have been studied, they account for nearly half of all the pharmaceutical drugs on the market and drugs targeting GPCRs are associated with a very wide range of therapeutic categories including, central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Conservative estimates suggest that pharmacogenomic and proteomic functional analyses of GPCRs will double the size of the current drug market drug.

NTI has developed a proprietary, insect cell-based functional assay system for the expression of human GPCRs, which is our Core Assay Technology. This novel assay system will speed the analysis of known (e.g. serotonin and dopamine) and newly discovered GPCRs, as well as reduce the costs of drug discovery. The current suites of available drugs often have limited efficacy and/or adverse side effects for a significant proportion of the population. NTI's Core Assay Technology, in combination with patient-based pharmacogenomics approaches, will allow us to develop second-generation drugs with significantly enhanced efficacy and reduced side effects. In addition, it will allow NTI to develop new drugs targeting specific sub-groups of individuals with a CNS disorder (e.g. chronic pain after spinal cord injury) that are poorly served by the current "one drug fits all" model.

NTI is refining a proprietary Self-selecting Autocrine Loop Technology, which allows us to identify new ligands, both agonists and antagonists, for GPCRs. This technology has several applications but is developed specifically to mine through known classes GPCRs, as well as undefined GPCRs known as 'orphan' receptors, that is, receptors whose modality of action and disease targets have yet to be identified. NTI's Core Assay and Self-selecting Autocrine Loop Technologies, when used in concert, will greatly reduce the time required for target validation among 'orphan' GPCR receptors, and the development of leading drug compounds to identified GPCR targets.