MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bionure, Inc. a California-based late-preclinical drug development company, today announced that it has entered into a Sponsored Research Agreement with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society through Fast Forward, its commercial research subsidiary aimed at accelerating the development of new and improved therapies for MS. Under this agreement, Fast Forward will provide funding to Bionure for the late-preclinical development of BN201 to enable IND filling to support the Phase 1 clinical study in Acute Optic Neuritis (AON). Optic neuritis is often a first sign of multiple sclerosis.
Bionure’s BN201 is a New-Chemical Entity, first-in-class neuroprotective candidate in development for AON and has been recently granted with orphan designation status by the FDA. Beyond its neuroprotective activity in neurons, the compound has been shown to stimulate remyelination by differentiating OPCs into mature oligodendrocytes and promoting the formation of myelin sheaths around axons. Protecting the nervous system from damage and reversing that damage through myelin repair has the potential to restore function to people with optic neuritis and multiple sclerosis.
“We are excited to collaborate with the National MS Society towards accelerating BN201 into clinical trials for AON”, said Mr. Albert G. Zamora, CEO at Bionure. "Fast Forward's support provides an independent scientific validation for Bionure’s BN201 potential to treat AON and MS through an innovative approach and will allow Bionure to file the IND by Q2 of 2015”.
“The National MS Society is committed to helping people with MS live their best lives,” said Mark Allegretta, PhD, Associate Vice President of Commercial Research at the Society. “We are pleased to partner with Bionure to accelerate the development of its novel neuroprotective and remyelinating compound. Protecting and repairing the nervous system holds promise for people with progressive forms of MS, for whom there are so few treatment options.”
About Bionure
Bionure is a late-preclinical drug development company focused at developing first-in-class SGK agonists for the treatment of rare ophthalmological diseases: Acute Optic Neuritis and Neuromyelitis Optica. Bionure’s main candidate BN201 is a small molecule, new chemical entity that has been shown to promote neuroprotection and remyelination. Bionure plans to start clinical trials by Q2 2015.
The company has just opened a $30M series A round of funding to obtain a clinical POC in AON by 2017 and early entry into the market in NMO by 2018.
For more information, visit www.bionure.com
About Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. In progressive forms of MS, chronic neurodegeneration occurs that results in the steady accumulation of disability. Thus far, therapies that are effective for relapsing MS have shown limited to no efficacy in progressive MS.
About The National Multiple Sclerosis Society
The National MS Society addresses the challenges of each person affected by MS by funding cutting-edge research, driving change through advocacy, facilitating professional education, collaborating with MS organizations around the world, and providing programs and services designed to help people with MS and their families move their lives forward. The National MS Society is committed to achieving a world free of MS.
For more information, visit www.nationalMSsociety.org.
About Fast Forward
Fast Forward, LLC is a nonprofit organization established by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in order to accelerate the development of treatments for MS. Fast Forward connects university-based MS research with private-sector drug development and funds small biotechnology/pharmaceutical companies to develop innovative MS therapies and repurpose FDA-approved drugs as new treatments for MS.
For more information, visit www.fastforward.org
