RALEIGH, N.C., July 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Six of the world’s leading physicians and researchers in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia have agreed to serve as members of Voyager Pharmaceutical Corporation’s Medical and Scientific Advisory Board (MSAB), the company announced Thursday.
The MSAB will lend its expertise as Voyager continues to develop VP4896, its leading drug candidate designed to treat individuals with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
“The MSAB has provided valuable insights as Voyager continues its efforts to develop VP4896 as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease,” said Patrick Smith, the company’s president and CEO. “Additionally, their proven leadership in dementia and Alzheimer’s disease will be invaluable as we further develop our product pipeline.”
The individual members of Voyager’s newly formed MSAB include:
Steven DeKosky, M.D.
Dr. DeKosky is the chair of the department of neurology at the University of Pittsburgh. DeKosky also directs the university’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.
Rachelle S. Doody, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Doody is the director of the Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorder Center at Baylor College of Medicine. She is also the Effie Marie Cain Chair in Alzheimer’s Disease Research in Baylor’s department of neurology.
Mary Sano, Ph.D.
Dr. Sano is the director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She also serves on the staff of the Bronx Veterans Administration Hospital as the director of research and development.
Lon Schneider, M.D.
Dr. Schneider is the director of the Alzheimer Research and Clinical Center of California at the University of Southern California. He is also a professor of psychiatry, neurology and gerontology at the Keck School of Medicine. Schneider also directs the clinical core of the USC Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.
Leon Thal, M.D.
Dr. Thal is the Florence Riford Chair in Alzheimer’s disease at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). He is also the director of the Geriatric Neurology Training Program at San Diego Veterans Affairs Medical Center. At UCSD, Thal serves as the chairman of the department of neurosciences.
Bengt Winblad, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Winblad is a professor at the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden and chief physician at the Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden.
About VP4896
Voyager’s most advanced product candidate is VP4896, a proprietary, small, biodegradable implant that is comprised of leuprolide acetate and a polymer. VP4896 decreases the amount of luteinizing hormone (LH) released by the pituitary gland. Based on clinical evidence, Voyager believes that the reduction of LH may decrease or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
The active ingredient in VP4896, leuprolide acetate, has been used safely for more than 20 years as a treatment for prostate cancer. Voyager’s phase III trial program for VP4896 is investigating the effects of a new AD therapy on the rate of cognitive decline in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
About Voyager Pharmaceutical Corporation
Voyager Pharmaceutical Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing drugs for diseases associated with aging and development. Voyager’s scientific approach is based on the observation that many diseases of aging may be caused by changes in human reproductive hormone levels that are characteristic of the aging process.
Voyager’s most advanced product candidate is VP4896, a proprietary, small, biodegradable implant that is comprised of leuprolide acetate and a polymer. Voyager’s phase III trial program for VP4896 is investigating the effects of a new AD therapy on the rate of cognitive decline in mild-to- moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
Voyager was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Raleigh, N.C. For more information go to www.voyagerpharma.com.
Contact Information: Brian Reynolds, Ph.D., Voyager Pharmaceutical Corp. Director of Medical and Scientific Information (919) 846-4880 Erica Gregory, Euro RSCG Life PR (202) 772-1054, erica.gregory@eurorscg.com
Voyager Pharmaceutical Corporation
CONTACT: Brian Reynolds, Ph.D., Voyager Pharmaceutical Corp., Director ofMedical and Scientific Information, +1-919-846-4880; Erica Gregory of EuroRSCG Life PR, +1-202-772-1054, erica.gregory@eurorscg.com
Web site: http://www.voyagerpharma.com/
