Cambridge, MA, September 21, 2015 – Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals Inc., a privately held pharmaceutical company, announced today that it has been awarded a Phase 1 Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to further evaluate and advance its promising drug candidate for traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and concussions.
Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals is investigating the potential of selectively activating astrocytes – the natural caretaker cells in the brain – to promote intrinsic healing mechanisms in the brain post injury. The NIH STTR grant will enable further research into the pharmaceutical properties of the company’s astrocyte-activating drug candidate, and ensure that it is amenable for the future treatment of human patients. “Our research to date has demonstrated very promising results in not only limiting damage from multiple models of brain trauma, but also in promoting repair” said Dr. James Lechleiter, Co-Founder of Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals and principle investigator for this project. The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, where Dr. Lechleiter is a professor, is the partnering research institution for the STTR grant, and is where a portion of the funded research will be conducted. “We are excited to expand our work on the neuroprotective properties of our drug candidate, and accelerate development of a critically needed new therapeutic for brain injuries,” Dr. Lechleiter said.
William Korinek, CEO at Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals, commented, “the NIH small business awards are highly competitive, and we are proud that the esteemed scientific review committee (ETTN 11) agreed with the importance and priority of our research. This award is further validation of Astrocyte’s novel scientific approach, and its potential to become a life-saving therapeutic for millions of patients.”
For more information about Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals please contact Dr. William Korinek at 617-444-8765 or [email protected].
###
About Astrocyte Pharmaceutical Inc.
Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a privately held drug development company dedicated to accelerating the recovery and well-being of brain injury patients. The company is committed to proving the neuroprotective benefits of selective astrocyte activation, and advancing breakthrough therapeutic agents for treating brain injury resulting from TBI, concussion, stroke and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Research support referred to in this press release will be supported by the National Institute Of Neurological Disorders And Stroke of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R41NS093756. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
