NeuroMax has successfully completed Phase Ia clinical trials on the safety and pharmacokinetics of drug candidate NM-IA-001 (BNV-222) for patients with diabetic neuropathy. Previously approved by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation the study was conducted at the E.A. Wagner Perm State Medical Academy.
According to a preliminary report based on the results of the study, NM-IA-001 (BNV-222) is well-tolerated, safe, and can be recommended for further clinical trials for drug registration in the Russian Federation.
Analysis of the preliminary data obtained in our study confirms the good tolerability and safety profile of NM-IA-001 in all 18 patients who participated in this clinical trial and we hope that with these results we will be able to move in the near future to the next phase of clinical trials which will involve a larger number of patients and will expand the range of applicable drug dosessaid Nikolay Golub, CEO of NeuroMax.
NeuroMax develops and commercializes innovative drug products for the treatment of diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system. Drug candidate NM-IA-001 (BNV-222), licensed from and developed in close partnership with the U.S. biotechnology company BioNevia Pharmaceuticals Inc., is a small molecule inhibitor of the aldose reductase enzyme designed for the treatment of complications caused by diabetes. The main application of NM-IA-001 (BNV-222) is diabetic neuropathy, although additional focus will be centered on diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy.
Previously, NeuroMax successfully completed a series of preclinical studies on the safety of NM-IA-001 (BNV-222), and the positive results from the study enabled the company to proceed with clinical trials. Should all phases of the clinical trials produce positive results, NM-IA-001 (BNV-222) may become the first medicine in Russia for mechanism-based therapy for serious complications due to diabetes.
NeuroMax is a biotechnology company founded in 2010 and financed by Maxwell Biotech Venture Fund, created with the participation of RVC. NeuroMax is a participant in the Technology Platform "Medicine of the Future" and a resident of Biomedical Cluster at Skolkovo Innovation Center. The main goal of NeuroMax is to develop and bring to the Russian market advanced, innovative products for diagnosing and treating central and peripheral nervous system diseases.
Maxwell Biotech Venture Fund (MBVF) is one of the first Russian funds dedicated to investments in the life science sector and was formed with the participation of RVC. MBVF relies on an experienced international team of managers and financial and industry experts and has offices in Moscow and Boston. MBVF is investing in product development companies specializing in a broad range of therapeutic areas or medical devices categories. To date, MBVF has invested in OncoMax (oncology), NeuroMax (CNS), MetaMax (oncology & metabolic diseases), Infectex (infectious diseases), CardioNova (cardiovascular diseases), Hepatera (liver diseases), Osteros Biomedica (cancer-induced bone diseases), Eleventa (inflammatory respiratory diseases) and Photonics (novel lasers for medicine and dentistry). Products in these companies originated either from Russian scientists or were licensed from international biopharma companies. All the portfolio companies are residents at Skolkovo Innovation Center.
RVC is a government fund of funds and a development institute of the Russian Federation; since 2006 it has been one of Russia’s key tools in building its own national innovation economy. RVC invests government capital through VC funds that it creates in partnership with private investors.
RVC has backed 12 funds (including two funds outside Russia) with a total capitalization of RUB 26 billion (about US$860 million), its share amounting to RUB 16 billion (about US$530 million). As of November 2012, RVC-backed funds hold a portfolio of 126 companies, with invested capital totaling RUB 10.8 billion (about US$350 million).
The Skolkovo Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in September 2010 by the Russian government with an objective to accelerate transformation of Russia from a resource-intensive to an innovation-based economy. To achieve this objective the Foundation is overseeing the creation of the Skolkovo Innovation Centre composed of companies and start-ups, developing innovative technologies (currently numbering over 800), a Technopark, the Skolkovo Institute of Technology (SkolTech), a new graduate research University established in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Skolkovo city, located near Moscow. Together these entities will establish a vibrant eco-system of technology innovation and entrepreneurship. 28 world’s most successful corporations, including Boeing, Cisco Systems, EADS, GE, Johnson & Johnson, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Siemens, Nokia, etc. have already recognized the opportunity Skolkovo presents having signed R&D partnership agreements with the Foundation.
Alexey Eliseev, Managing Director, Maxwell Biotech Venture Fundoffice: +1 (857) 2847220 ext. 153email: aeliseev@maxwellbiotech.comwebsite: http://www.maxwellbio.com
Leonid Gankin, PhD, International Communications, Skolkovo Foundationoffice: +7 (495) 9670148 ext. 2312email: lgankin@sk.ruwebsite: http://www.sk.ru