SUNNYVALE, Calif. and TORONTO, Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Arbor Vita Corporation and NoNO Inc. today announced that a poster highlighting the Phase I clinical trial of the collaboration's investigational compound NA-1 for the treatment of stroke will be presented at the 2007 International Stroke Conference being held in San Francisco February 7 - 9. The conference, jointly sponsored by the American Stroke Association and the American Heart Association, will highlight more than 700 presentations emphasizing basic and clinical sciences.
The poster, "A Phase I Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Safety, Tolerability and Pharmacokinetic Study of Intravenous NA-1 in Healthy Subjects", will be presented at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, February 7.
NA-1 is a compound that has been shown to inhibit the interaction between NMDA (N-methyl D-aspartate) receptors and PSD-95. NMDA receptors mediate excitatory neurotransmission between brain neurons, whereas PSD-95, a protein containing PDZ domains, links NMDA receptors to signaling enzymes downstream from NMDA receptors. It is believed that because NA-1 acts downstream of the NMDA receptor, cell death can be selectivity blocked without disrupting the essential functions of the NMDA receptor itself, including the normal transmission of signals between nerve cells. In animal toxicity studies, NA-1 has shown safety and tolerability following intravenous administration, and reduced ischemic damage when administered three hours following stroke onset.
The ongoing Phase I study is designed to determine the safety and tolerability of ascending intravenous doses of NA-1, as well as collecting pharmacokinetic data in up to 72 healthy men and women. The study is expected to be completed by March 2007. Preliminary results from the clinical trial will be provided in the poster to be presented at the International Stroke Conference.
About Arbor Vita Corporation
Arbor Vita (http://www.arborvita.com) is a biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel drugs and diagnostics addressing disease through a new family of targets, PDZ proteins. PDZ proteins are critical elements that organize and regulate many signaling pathways in human cells. Arbor Vita is pioneering the development of therapeutics and diagnostics through their unique understanding of the role of PDZs in cell signaling and disease. The company is tackling major health issues including cancer, infectious diseases such as influenza, stroke, and cardiovascular disease.
About NoNO Inc.
NoNO Inc. is a biotechnology company founded for the purpose of developing and commercializing therapeutic compounds for the treatment of stroke and related CNS disorders. NoNO Inc. was founded by scientists, many of whom are world leaders in basic and/or clinical neuroscience. NoNO Inc. has focused on strategies for developing therapeutic agents that selectively interfere with key pathways of neurological diseases, including pathways that involve PDZ domains, while minimizing side effects. Its lead projects are in the areas of stroke, neurotrauma, and tissue ischemia.
Arbor Vita CorporationCONTACT: Debra Bannister of Arbor Vita Corporation, +1-530-676-8001
Web site: http://www.arborvita.com//
