Acorda Therapeutics Presents GGF2 Preclinical Stroke Data at International Stroke Conference
ARDSLEY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 7, 2013-- Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOR) announced data from studies showing that Glial Growth Factor 2 (GGF2) can enhance recovery of sensorimotor function in a preclinical model of stroke. The studies expand on an existing body of preclinical work examining GGF2 in stroke, and specifically explored various doses and frequency of administration to assess optimal treatment regimens. The data were featured as a late-breaking poster presentation at the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference in Honolulu, HI.
“These data confirm earlier preclinical study results showing that GGF2 can improve recovery of function following stroke. They also provide valuable information about varying dosing regimens that will contribute to the further development of GGF2,” said Anthony Caggiano, M.D., Ph.D., Acorda’s Vice President of Research and Development. “Previous studies have shown that GGF2 can be effective in restoring function when initiating therapy as long as seven days following a stroke. Currently approved stroke interventions need to be administered within a few hours of an event, which limits therapy to a small minority of people who experience a stroke. Early data on GGF2 suggest a longer time window to administer treatment, which represents a potentially critical advance.”
The poster, entitled “Optimized Dosing of Glial Growth Factor 2 in a Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion Model Increases GAP43 Expression,” reviewed data from study groups receiving differing doses of GGF2 to determine which dose was most effective in enhancing recovery of sensorimotor function after stroke. This was measured by several sensorimotor function tests, including limb placement. Treatment was initiated 24 hours after the stroke. The study showed significant improvements in sensorimotor recovery with GGF2 that were related to dose and frequency of treatment. As was seen in previous studies, improvements were not associated with reduced lesion volume, but in this study were shown to be associated with increased expression of the growth associated protein, GAP43, within the brain, both close to and distant from the area of injury.
GGF2 is the leading development candidate from the Company’s neuregulin program. Neuregulins are a class of naturally occurring protein growth factors that have multiple effects on the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Acorda is conducting a clinical program for GGF2 in heart failure and preclinical development in a number of neurological indications, including peripheral nerve injury and stroke. The first clinical trial of GGF2, a Phase 1 study of GGF2 in patients with heart failure, was completed in late 2012. |
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