Japan Patent for Cyclosporin Brain-Protection Granted to Maas BiolAB

    
BIOWIRE2K

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 19, 2005--Maas BiolAB, LLC announced that the Japan Patent Office has granted patent number 3643380. The Maas Japan patent is for Cyclosporin Neuroprotection treating the gamut of neurological diseases. Cyclosporin has been shown to be a powerful and effective neuroprotectant in preclinical models of neurological diseases from traumatic brain injury to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Japan, with a population of 127 million people, is the second largest pharmaceutical market in the world.

Maas BiolAB has been granted patents in 36 countries including North America (USA, Canada, Mexico), Europe (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom), Africa (Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, Zimbabwe), Antipodes (Australia, New Zealand), Russia, China, and now Japan.

The FDA has granted Orphan Drug designation to Maas BiolAB for cyclosporin as a treatment for ALS.

Cyclosporin is a unique drug that protects the mitochondria within neurons from the streams of attack found in degenerative brain diseases and injury. The mitochondria are energy generators within human cells. Cyclosporin protects these mitochondria, blocking neuron death and preserving normal brain function.

Maas BiolAB, LLC is a privately held neuropharmaceutical corporation based in Albuquerque, NM, USA. Maas BiolAB, LLC has licensed the world rights for cyclosporin neuroprotection in the ACUTE indications of traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and stroke to its subsidiary NeuroPharma AB of Lund, Sweden (www.neuropharma.se). Maas BiolAB, LLC has licensed the world rights for cyclosporin neuroprotection in the CHRONIC neurodegeneration indications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease to its subsidiary Maas Biolab Inc, also of Albuquerque (www.maasbiolab.com).



Maas Biolab, Inc
Technology Ventures Corporation  
1155 University Blvd. SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106 USA
+1-505-843-4230 tel
+1-505-246-2891 fax
  
 NeuroPharma AB
 Magle Stora Kyrkogata 6
 223 50 Lund, Sweden                         
+46 46 157708 tel
+46 46 157716 fax