Queensland scientists will begin clinical trials of treatment for spinal cord injuries after discovering dramatic improvements in balance and coordination when blocking a protein. Researchers at the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI), the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR), and the University of Melbourne showed that blocking protein EphA4 could rapidly restore the balance and limb coordination of models with spinal injuries. QBI Director and study co-leader, Professor Perry Bartlett said the research confirmed and expanded on previous studies showing that blocking the action of this protein receptor prevented the loss of nerve tissue following injury and promoted repair. Professor Bartlett and QIMR Professor Andrew Boyd identified the role of EphA4 in 1998. They showed that the EphA4 protein was critical to the development of the nerves which control walking and other complex muscle functions. Subsequent studies showed that after a spinal cord injury, the production of the EphA4 protein was increased and this protein acted to stop severed nerve endings from regrowing through the injury site. Professor Boyds laboratory at QIMR, working with Professor Bartletts lab at UQ, then developed a decoy protein, to block, or inhibit EphA4 function. This has been used to improve recovery of function after spinal … Continue reading →

Lets just say my inbox has been hit hard by people including several current and former NHL players who want to know more about the GyroStim, which I profiled in Sundays paper. There was a lot of stuff I couldnt get into the final version of the print story, including the fact that former Dallas Cowboys stars Tony Dorsett, Randy White and Darren Woodson are now singing the spinning machines praises, after years of head/brain injury problems. Sidney Crosby and Joey Hishon arent the only NHL players who have credited the machine for their recovery from severe concussions. Ottawas Guillaume Latendresse, not mentioned in the story, also said the GyroStim cured his concussion and I know the word cure is a bit strong, but I dont really know what else to call it. A lot of people, therefore, were excited to read about this new technology. And there is more to come from its inventor, Kevin Maher of Colorado Springs. Another thing that didnt make the story is about his new machine called the Performa that promises to improve the spatial awareness of normal, healthy athletes. Maher said he already has sold the machine to one of the biggest teams … Continue reading →

BERLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- EBS Technologies GmbH, an emerging medical device company developing the revolutionary NEXT WAVE brain stimulation platform for treatment of neurological disorders caused by stroke and brain injury, announced today that it has received CE marking for NEXT WAVE and expects to begin commercialization in Europe immediately as the result of closing a Series B financing round of $3.9 million (3,0 million) from existing investors: including lead investor Earlybird Venture Partners, High-Tech Grnderfonds (HTGF), and Brandenburg Capital. Total investment in EBS Technologies is $8.7 million (6,7 million). There is a very significant unmet clinical need for the treatment of vision impairment caused by a neurological disorder such as a stroke, said Ulf Pommerening, CEO of EBS Technologies. For example, stroke is the worlds third-leading cause of death as well as the leading cause of serious, long-term disability. There are more than 10 million stroke survivors with long-term disability in Europe and the U.S. Three out of five of these disabled persons are potentially treatable with our non-invasive EBS Next Wave therapy. We are extremely pleased that our existing investors, lead by Earlybird Venture Partners, increased their commitment to EBS, based on strong clinical results with our low-risk, non-invasive NEXT … Continue reading →

STOCKHOLM--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News: NeuroVive Pharmaceutical AB (publ)(NVP.ST), a leading mitochondrial medicine company, has recruited the first patient in a Phase IIa clinical trial to evaluate the companys drug candidate NeuroSTAT for the treatment of traumatic brain injury. The trial is being conducted at the Department of Neurosurgery, Copenhagen University Hospital under the supervision of Professor Bertil Romner and Dr Walter Fischer. Bertil Romner is a leading expert in the treatment of traumatic brain injury, and Walter Fischer is the studys principal investigator. The phase IIa trial is an open label, uncontrolled study that will recruit a total of 20 patients. The primary endpoint of the study is to evaluate NeuroSTATs pharmacokinetic properties and safety in patients with severe traumatic brain injury. In addition, secondary endpoints include several monitoring techniques to study the effect of NeuroSTAT at the mitochondrial level and how different biochemical processes are influenced by NeuroSTAT after a brain injury has occurred. Traumatic brain injury is an area of huge medical need for which there are currently no approved pharmaceutical treatment options. Mikael Brnnegrd, CEO of NeuroVive Pharmaceutical said: The inclusion of the first patient in our phase IIa trial to evaluate NeuroSTAT for traumatic brain injury … Continue reading →