Vasogen's Research Published in European Journal of Neuroscience
28 Gennaio 2008 - 1:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
- VP025 Provides a Neuroprotective Effect in Preclinical Model of
Parkinson's Disease - MISSISSAUGA, ON, Jan. 28
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Vasogen Inc. (NASDAQ:VSGN; TSX:VAS), a
biotechnology company engaged in the research and commercial
development of therapies designed to target the destructive
inflammatory process associated with the development and
progression of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders,
today announced the publication of preclinical findings
demonstrating that Vasogen's VP025, the leading candidate from its
VP series of drugs, provides a significant neuroprotective effect
in a model of Parkinson's disease. The research, which was
conducted at the University College Cork, Ireland, was published in
the European Journal of Neuroscience (Vol 27, pp.294-300, 2008).
Evidence is accumulating that inflammation plays an important role
in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. Microglial cells
(immune cells resident in the brain) are activated in Parkinson's
disease, producing pro-inflammatory factors that result in the
death of nerve cells in an area of the brain called the
nigrostriatal pathway. The published research was based on a
well-established model of Parkinson's disease that involves the
generation of a lesion on one side of the brain by the introduction
of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), inducing abnormal behaviour
resulting in rotational movement. Both Parkinson's disease and
6-OHDA administration are associated with inflammatory processes
that lead to the death of certain nerve cells, the dopaminergic
neurons, which produce the neurotransmitter dopamine. It is the
loss of these neurons and thereby the dopamine they produce that
results in the movement abnormalities seen in this model. The
published study assessed the effect of pre-treatment with VP025 on
6-OHDA-induced rotational behaviour in response to amphetamine.
Treatment with VP025 prior to 6-OHDA administration led to
behavioural improvement demonstrated by a substantial (50-75%) and
significant (p