SAN DIEGO, Jan. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. announced today that the Company was awarded a grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) to study the potential neuroprotective effects of adenosine A2A receptor antagonists in models of Parkinson’s disease.
With this award, Neurocrine will evaluate the neuroprotective effects of A2A antagonists in preclinical models of Parkinson’s disease, specifically to assess their potential to modify early disease progression. This may also help to guide the preclinical selection of drug candidates in which both symptom relief and neuroprotective actions have been optimized.
“We are pleased to have been selected to receive a MJFF Therapeutic Development Initiative award. Neurocrine has been developing novel A2A antagonists to address the unmet medical needs of this devastating condition where improved treatments are urgently needed,” said Alan C. Foster, PhD, Vice President, Research Fellow for Neurocrine Biosciences. “In early 2007, we expect to select a development compound from our A2A program that demonstrates symptom relief in preclinical models. In addition, this grant will enable us to better understand the potential of this therapeutic mechanism in providing disease modifying benefits.”
A2A receptor antagonists have been shown to be effective at relieving symptoms in preclinical models of Parkinson’s disease and in clinical trials with Parkinson’s disease patients. This subtype of receptors for the neuromodulator adenosine is selectively localized on neurons in an area of the brain called the basal ganglia that also express dopamine D2 receptors. Parkinsonian symptoms result from an impairment in the function of these neurons resulting from the dopamine depletion that occurs as neuronal degeneration progresses. Antagonism of A2A receptors appears to help restore normal function, and several lines of evidence also suggest that A2A antagonism can help protect against neuronal degeneration.
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by a loss of dopamine neurons in the brain leading to a host of symptoms, the hallmark of these being motor-related. Novel pharmacological strategies are being sought not only to improve these motor symptoms without the motor complications induced by current long-term dopaminergic therapies, but also to prevent disease progression. A2A receptor antagonists represent a novel class of drugs that may lead to minimal motor complications with extended use and more importantly, might also slow degeneration of dopamine neurons. Mechanistically, A2A antagonists are distinct from traditional dopaminergic therapies, and hold the promise of providing new treatment options when administered alone or in combination with existing therapies.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation launched the Therapeutics Development Initiative in 2006 to catalyze and expand industry-sponsored preclinical research focused on drug development for Parkinson’s disease. Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.'s award is one of 10 announced under the initiative.
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. is a product-based biopharmaceutical company focused on neurological and endocrine diseases and disorders. Our product candidates address some of the largest pharmaceutical markets in the world including insomnia, anxiety, depression, irritable bowel syndrome, endometriosis, pain, and autoimmunity. Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. news releases are available through the Company’s website via the Internet at http://www.neurocrine.com.
Founded in 2000, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research is dedicated to ensuring the development of a cure for Parkinson’s disease within this decade through an aggressively funded research agenda. The Foundation has funded over $90 million in research to date, either directly or through partnerships.
In addition to historical facts, this press release may contain forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward looking statements are risks and uncertainties associated with Neurocrine’s business and finances and research programs in general including, but not limited to, risk and uncertainties associated with, or arising out of, drug discovery, pre-clinical and clinical development of products and specifically risk that A2A antagonist program may not generate any development candidates that lead to clinical testing or commercial products; risk relating to our reliance on contract manufacturers; risk that the Company could fail to meet its obligations under the A2A antagonist license which would cause it to forfeit product rights; uncertainties relating to patent protection for A2A antagonists and intellectual property rights of third parties in the A2A antagonist field; impact of competitive products and technological changes that may limit demand for the Company’s products; risk that the Company will be unable to raise additional funding required to complete development of all of its product candidates; and the other risks described in the Company’s report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 and most recent report on Form 10-Q filed for the third quarter ended, September 30, 2006. Neurocrine undertakes no obligation to update the statements contained in this press release after the date hereof.
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.
CONTACT: Elizabeth Foster of Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc., +1-858-617-7600
Web site: http://www.neurocrine.com/
