Non-Clinical Data

RNS Number : 7643R

ReNeuron Group plc

22 November 2012

 



22 November 2012

AIM: RENE

ReNeuron Group plc

("ReNeuron" or "the Company")

Newly published non-clinical data demonstrate multiple ways in which ReNeuron's stem cells promote repair in stroke-damaged brain

Data supportive of ReNeuron's ReN001 therapy for stroke

Guildford, UK, 22 November 2012: ReNeuron Group plc (AIM: RENE.L) today announces the publication, in two leading peer-reviewed scientific journals, of key non-clinical data demonstrating the multiple ways in which its lead CTX neural stem cell line promotes repair in stroke-damaged brain. The first clinical application for the CTX cell line is ReNeuron's ReN001 stem cell therapy for disabled stroke patients, currently in Phase I clinical development.

The first paper, relating to studies undertaken by ReNeuron's researchers, has been published in the journal Cell Transplantation¹. An abstract can be viewed on-line at: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/pre-prints/ct0720hicks.  The second paper, relating to work undertaken in collaboration with Dr Sandrine Thuret and colleagues at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, has been published in the journal PLOS ONE². An abstract can be viewed on-line at: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0050444.

The first paper describes a number of in vitro and in vivo studies which clearly demonstrate the role of the CTX cells in restoring damaged blood vessels and generating new blood vessels in stroke-damaged brain via the process of angiogenesis.  The CTX cells were found to express several pro-angiogenic proteins that foster angiogenesis and thereby promote repair of the damaged brain vasculature, contributing to functional recovery in relevant rodent models of stroke damage.

The second paper describes a further study in which it was shown in a rodent model of stroke that the CTX cells work to promote and maintain the proliferation of new neurons in the host brain after the stroke event, further contributing to the overall therapeutic effect of the CTX cells in stroke-damaged brain.This study also found that the CTX cells promoted the proliferation of microglial cells which may work to protect the damaged brain after the acute phase of the stroke.

These new publications build on the findings of previous efficacy and mode-of-action studies with the CTX cells.  A substantial body of peer-reviewed published work now exists, providing clear and reproducible evidence of the efficacy of ReNeuron's CTX cell line in models of stroke damage and the ways in which the cells may promote recovery of function in these models.  Taken together, this breadth of empirical evidence is strongly supportive of the ongoing clinical development of ReNeuron's ReN001 stem cell therapy for disabled stroke patients. These collective data also provide the Company with a potential competitive advantage regarding the licensing and commercial potential of its therapeutic candidates.

Dr John Sinden, Chief Scientific Officer of ReNeuron, commented:

"We are delighted to see these further papers relating to our lead CTX stem cell line accepted for publication.  The results described in the papers are significant and provide yet further evidence of the potential of the CTX cells to alleviate the disabling consequences of a stroke.

"In order to fully realise the clinical and commercial potential of our stem cell therapy candidates, it is important that we and others understand as fully as possible how the cells exert their beneficial effects. As a consequence, there already exists a large body of published work that we believe strongly endorses the ongoing clinical development of our lead CTX cell line in stroke and, in due course, other disease conditions where we believe administration of CTX cells may have a beneficial therapeutic effect."

1.     In vivo and in vitro characterization of the angiogenic effect of CTX0E03 human neural stem cells. Hicks C, Stevenato L, Stroemer P, Tang E, Richardson S, Sinden J.

2.     Human neural progenitor cell engraftment increases neurogenesis and microglial recruitment in the brain of rats with stroke.  Hassani Z, O'Reilly J, Pearse Y, Stroemer P, Tang E, Sinden J, Price J, Thuret S.

Enquiries:

ReNeuron                                                                                [phone]

Michael Hunt, Chief Executive Officer

Dr John Sinden, Chief Scientific Officer

Buchanan                                                                                [phone]

Mark Court, Fiona Henson, Sophie Cowles                                              

Cenkos Securities                                                                    [phone]

Stephen Keys, Adrian Hargrave (NOMAD and Broker)

Andy Roberts (Sales)

About ReNeuron

ReNeuron is a leading, clinical-stage stem cell business.  Its primary objective is the development of novel stem cell therapies targeting areas of significant unmet or poorly met medical need.  

ReNeuron has used its unique stem cell technologies to develop cell-based therapies for significant disease conditions where the cells can be readily administered "off-the-shelf" to any eligible patient without the need for additional immunosuppressive drug treatments.  ReNeuron's lead candidate is its ReN001 stem cell therapy for the treatment of patients left disabled by the effects of a stroke. This therapy is currently in clinical development.  The Company is also developing stem cell therapies for other conditions such as critical limb ischaemia, a serious and common side-effect of diabetes, and blindness-causing diseases of the retina such as retinitis pigmentosa.

ReNeuron has also developed a range of stem cell lines for non-therapeutic applications - its ReNcell^® products for use in academic and commercial research.  The Company's ReNcell^®CX and ReNcell^®VM neural cell lines are marketed worldwide under license by USA-based Merck Millipore.

ReNeuron's shares are traded on the London AIM market under the symbol RENE.L.  Further information on ReNeuron and its products can be found at www.reneuron.com.

 

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