Press Releases

Professor José-Alain Sahel to lead research team in collaboration with Neurotech to study interactions between the pigment epithelium and the neuronal retina and other vessels

Paris and Lincoln, March 24 2003, – Neurotech, specialist in the treatment of retinal disease, announced today a partnership agreement with INSERM, the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research. The agreement establishes a close collaboration between Neurotech and the research teams at the INSERM unit 592, specialized in cellular and molecular physiopathology of the retina, and directed by Professor José-Alain Sahel. Professor Sahel is also coordinator of France’s Institute of Vision, a scientific interest group whose members include the French National Center for Ophthalmology at the Quinze-Vingts hospital in Paris, the Rothschild Foundation, and the University Paris VI.

“This strategic move towards technologies for diseases of the back of the eye gives new prospects to Neurotech,” said Bernard Chauvin, Chairman of the Board. “We have already developed a unique technology platform with therapeutic applications addressing a major medical need and raising a lot of interest.”

Professor Sahel’s team will implement its advanced high-throughput functional screening techniques to identify new genes expressed by the pigment retinal epithelium and implicated in retinal diseases. The collaboration aims to identify new therapeutic factors able to be delivered to the back of the eye through Neurotech’s Encapsulated Cell Technology (ECT). Neurotech will hold exclusive licensing rights to the results of the collaboration.

Retinal diseases are untreated or partially treated by traditional medicine and delivery methods, yet affect millions of patients worldwide. The main obstacle to treating such diseases is the blood-retina barrier, which makes it extremely difficult to deliver medicine to the eye. Using animal models, Neurotech recently demonstrated the ability of ECT to deliver the neuroprotective protein CNTF to the back of the eye, in sufficient quantities and over extended periods of time. Following these encouraging results, Neurotech plans to carry out Phase I clinical trials on ECT/CNTF in the near future at the U.S. National Eye Institute, for the treatment of patients affected by Retinitis Pigmentosa. Subsequent clinical studies should take place in the U.S as well as in Europe, and in particular in France at the Quinze-Vingts Hospital in Paris.

“This collaboration could result in new potential therapeutic developments. We are able to combine our scientific expertise in the field of physiopathology of the retina for the discovery of novel therapeutic agents, with Neurotech’s knowledge of delivery methods to the inner eye, through the company’s Encapsulated Cell Technology. We believe in the potential of this technology,” said Professor Sahel.

The agreement is a perfect illustration of the way in which INSERM partners with innovative companies, said INSERM. It is in line with INSERM’s policy of encouraging the development of innovative products and services to improve human health from its research activities.

“The partnership with Professor Sahel, a leading world expert on the retina, enables Neurotech to strengthen its position in France,” said Bernard Davitian, CEO of Neurotech. “We benefit from his scientific leadership and are also setting up our head office at the Quinze-Vingts hospital in Paris. The collaboration also demonstrates the confidence placed in our Encapsulated Cell Technology, and could ultimately enable us to build up our product pipeline.”

Neurotech is supported in its scientific and business strategies by world experts in ophthalmology and by a group of international investors. Among the investors, Merlin Biosciences, Apax Partners, GIMV and CDC-IXIS Innovation have representatives on the company's Board of Directors.

For further information please contact :

Ted Danse, CEO
Neurotech

Phone: 1 401 333-3880 x3116

Email: t.danse@neurotechusa.com