New York, N.Y., April 19, 2016 -- Lauren Sciences LLC, private New York biotechnology company developing breakthrough V-SmartTM Nanomedicines for brain diseases, announced today award of second grant from The ALS Association. The ALS Association grant will support Lauren Sciences continued development of LAUR-301, its V-SmartTM Nanomedicine designed for ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Lauren Sciences developed LAUR-301, with its V-SmartTM platform nanotechnology, to cross blood brain barrier (BBB) by non-invasive administration, and engineered LAUR-301 to target specific brain regions where motor neurons degenerate in ALS. In next stage of development, LAUR-301 will be customized with neurotrophic factor that has therapeutic potential for treatment of ALS, and delivered to disease sites in central nervous system (CNS) of ALS mice by i.v. administration. Subsequent development will include efficacy studies in ALS animal models. Preclinical studies show that this neurotrophic factor provides beneficial effects in ALS, and LAUR-301 solves problem that neurotrophic factors do not cross BBB.
Lauren Sciences ultimate goal is for LAUR-301 to enter IND enabling studies, proceed to human clinical trials and become transformative V-SmartTM Nanomedicine that protects against neurodegeneration and induces neurorestoration in ALS patients. Lauren Sciences intention is for LAUR-301 to be effective in all ALS patients and slow down, or reverse, ALS disease, whereas no such treatment presently exists.
"Lauren Sciences appreciates The ALS Association's vote of confidence, and continuation of support, with this second award," said Susan Rosenbaum, J.D., Chairman & CEO of Lauren Sciences. "The ALS Association's second award confirms successful development of LAUR-301, to date, reaffirms LAUR-301's ability to overcome challenge of passage across BBB and anticipates LAUR-301's potential to treat ALS as effective therapeutic. We are also grateful for support of our ALS advisor, Robert H. Brown, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman of Neurology at U. Mass. Medical School."
"The ALS Association is dedicated to finding treatment or cure for ALS," said Lucie Bruijn, Ph.D., M.B.A., Chief Scientist of The ALS Association. "Trophic factors and other neuroprotective and regenerative agents, that do not get into brain by existing oral or i.v. delivery, have shown potential to protect motor neurons during course of ALS. LAUR-301 has shown ability to deliver therapeutic agents across BBB following systemic administration."
"LAUR-301, with neurotrophic factor, targeted to deteriorating motor neurons, has promise as non-invasive, disease-altering treatment for ALS," said Irwin Hollander, Ph.D., VP of R&D at Lauren Sciences. "LAUR-301 could ultimately improve ALS patients' lives."
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About V-SmartTM Nanomedicines
V-SmartTM Nanomedicines address key clinical challenges/critical unmet medical needs for high transformational impact on medical treatment/outcomes. V-SmartTM Nanomedicines will enable patients to benefit from therapeutic agents currently unavailable due to inability to cross BBB, poor PK, bioavailability or toxicity issues, required long term/non-invasive treatment, or where oral administration is preferable. V-SmartTM Nanomedicines, proven to encapsulate therapeutic agents, cross BBB, target and deliver to sites in brain, selectively release at target sites, be administered systemically, and be safe and effective, uniquely solve problem that most therapeutic agents, including biologicals, with potential to treat or cure brain diseases, do not cross BBB.
About Lauren Sciences LLC
Lauren Sciences LLC (NY) was founded in NYC, where launched business operations in 2012. Licensed breakthrough V-SmartTM platform nanotechnology from Ben-Gurion University in Israel, where launched R&D of innovative V-SmartTM targeted drug delivery platform, followed by development of transformative V-SmartTM targeted therapeutics -- V-SmartTM Nanomedicines -- for CNS, neurodegenerative, rare/orphan brain diseases, neurodevelopmental/psychiatric disorders, including: PD, AIDS, ALS, GBM, NPC, AD, etc. Lauren Sciences achieved success over 4 years: 9 foundation grant awards; 3 academic, multiple pharma, collaborations; 6 proprietary product pipeline; 10 patent portfolio; 18 published papers; 5 scientific posters; 15 research presentations.
About ALS
ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects motor neurons (nerve cells) in the brain and the spinal cord. Eventually, people with ALS lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, which often leads to total paralysis and death within two to five years of diagnosis. There is no cure and limited life-prolonging treatments for the disease. Based on U.S. population studies, a little over 5,600 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year. It is estimated that as many as 30,000 Americans have the disease at any given time.
About The ALS Association
Established in 1985, The ALS Association is the only national non-profit organization fighting Lou Gehrig's Disease on every front. By leading the way in global research, providing assistance for people with ALS through a nationwide network of chapters, coordinating multidisciplinary care through certified clinical care centers, and fostering government partnerships, The ALS Association builds hope and enhances quality of life while aggressively searching for new treatments and a cure. For more information about The ALS Association, visit the website at http://www.alsa.org.