Our products

Parkinson's disease Cogane™

Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder characterised by muscle rigidity, tremor and a slowing of physical movement (bradykinesia) and, in extreme cases, a loss of physical movement (akinesia).The primary symptoms are the result of altered signalling of an area of the brain, the striatum, responsible for the control of movement. This is caused by degeneration of dopaminergic neurones between the striatum and the substantia nigra part of the brain leading to insufficient formation and action of dopamine. Parkinson's disease is therefore termed a neurodegenerative disease. The disease is slow in onset and the appearance of symptoms reflects the gradual loss of dopaminergic neurones.

Mode of action

Cogane^TM is a novel small molecule, orally bioavailable neurotrophic factor inducer that readily crosses the blood brain barrier. In preclinical models, Cogane^TM stimulates the release of neurotrophic factors and increases neurite outgrowth. Importantly, Cogane^TM also reverses the decrease of neurotrophic factors and reverses dopaminergic neurnal degeneration observed in vitro. When administered orally in several differenct preclinical models of Parkinson's disease Cogane^TM reverses the loss of dopaminergic neurones and elevates glial derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF).

GDNF has been shown to be particularly effective in re-growing damaged nerves. Since GDNF is a protein, it cannot be given orally (in tablet or liquid form) because it is degraded in the stomach and intestine, and also does not readily cross the blood-brain barrier. GDNF can work only when injected into or when produced inside the brain. Direct injection of GDNF into the area of the brain involved in Parkinson's disease has shown evidence of being clinically effective in restoring the control of movement but requires highly complex and difficult surgical procedures. Cogane^TM, which can be taken orally, readily crosses the blood-brain barrier and in preclinical models has been shown to stimulate the release of GDNF in the brain and therefore has the potential to overcome many of the difficulties associated with GDNF administration. 

Progress to date

We have made significant progress demonstrating that in preclinical models of Parkinson's disease Cogane^TM reverses the damage to dopamine-containing neurones and elevates GDNF in the area of the brain involved in Parkinson's disease. In a recently completed efficay study, oral administration of Cogane^TM over eighteen weeks significantly reduced parkinsonian disability by 43 % in the macaque model of MPTP-induced Parkinson's disease (the gold standard for preclinical Parkinson's disease research), which will be clinically highly relevant if repeated in Parkinson's disease patients. Encouragingly, in this study a statistically significant reduction in parkinsonian symptoms was reached after nine weeks of administration with Cogane^TM. The magnitude of the effect increased over the subsequent nine weeks of administration and was still increasing at the end of the study (week eighteen). Histology data from this study suggests that the mechanism underlying these effects is considerably more complex than originally envisaged. Further work in this area is ongoing.

We have also shown that administration of Cogane^TM to macaques in conjunction with L-dopa (the standard treatmet for Parkinson's disease) resulted in improved control of symptoms compared to those animals treated with L-dopa alone. These data continue to support the development of Cogane^TM as an exciting new and potentially disease-modifying therapy for Parkinson's disease. 

We have also recently completed a Phase Ib safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic clinical study with Cogane^TM, which was shown to be safe and generally well tolerated in both healthy volunteers and Parkinson's disease patients over the twenty eight day study period. Importantly at date twenty eight, plasma levels in Parkinson's disease patients taking Cogane^TM at a dose of 150 mg/day reached levels associated with efficay in the nonclinical efficacy study.

We have initiated the necessary preparatory and regulatory activities for the planned  Cogane^TM Phase II clinical study to demonstrate efficacy in patitents with Parkinson's disease. In parralel, product development work on  Cogane^TM is being undertaken to improve he commercial and technical viability of its manufacture / drug formulation so that the information is available for a rapid progression into further clinical trials.