Maas BiolAB Demonstrates Mitochondrial Neuroprotection With Novel Cyclosporins at the 32nd Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience

Business Editors/Biotechnology Writers
BIOWIRE2K

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 12, 2002--Maas BiolAB scientists Eskil Elmer M.D., Ph.D. and Magnus Hansson M.D. presented two posters at the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting in Orlando Florida. The titles of their presentations were: "CHARACTERIZATION OF CYCLOSPORIN INHIBITION OF CALCIUM-INDUCED PERMEABILITY TRANSITION IN RESPIRING CNS MITOCHONDRIA" and "POWERFUL CYCLOSPORIN INHIBITION OF CALCIUM-INDUCED PERMEABILITY TRANSITION IN BRAIN MITOCHONDRIA."
These studies demonstrated the basis by which cyclosporin is neuroprotective, through its effect on preserving the mitochondrial energy production, by specifically blocking the formation of lethal membrane megapores (permeability transition). By blocking mitochondrial megapores, cyclosporin prevents the toxic release of cytochrome c and other apoptosis-inducing factors which forces the nerve cell down a cell death pathway. The mitochondria are believed to be a final common pathway leading to neuronal death in many neurological diseases including traumatic brain injury, stroke, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Marcus Keep, M.D., CEO of Maas reported "Our mitochondrial high-throughput screening techniques are evaluating new cyclosporin analogs with increased brain penetration and neuroprotection, and free from immunosuppression, which we are developing with academic, biotechnology and pharma partners. We will introduce a proprietary intravenous cyclosporin product NeuroSTAT(tm) for traumatic brain injury in the short-term, followed by patented second generation cyclosporin analogs with enhanced mitochondrial action for specific neurodegenerative diseases."
Drs. Elmer and Hansson's mitochondrial laboratory is operating within the Experimental Brain Research Laboratory at the Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University in Lund, Sweden.
Maas BiolAB is a privately held Swedish-American neuropharmaceutical corporation with world patents for cyclosporin neuroprotection. NeuroPharma AB in Lund, Sweden is a wholly owned subsidiary.

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