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ReNeuron well funded for pivotal period clinically and commercially

Published: 03:08 08 May 2019 EDT

DNA sequence
ReNeuron in an update reprised the significant clinical headway it has made with successful early studies on patients suffering stroke and those with a blindness causing disease

ReNeuron Group PLC (LON:RENE) revealed it is in a strong financial position as it heads into a pivotal 18 months both clinically and commercially.

Having secured a partnership for its cell technology in China with local company Fosun Pharma, the company confirmed the group is pursuing other collaborations "and/or" out-licensing deals across all its programmes.

ReNeuron in an update reprised the significant clinical headway it has made with successful early studies on patients suffering stroke and those with a blindness causing disease.

Second group dosed

It also confirmed a second group of three people suffering retinal disease have been dosed with its hRPC cell line. Earlier results revealed the treatment improved eyesight in the first three patients. The vision of this latest trio is more impaired than the first.

In all, ReNeuron expects to dose 12 people suffering from the degenerative condition retinitis pigmentosa with results from the phase IIa study expected by the end of the year.

Dosing for the PISCES III phase IIb clinical trial in 110 stroke patients at up to 40 clinical trial sites in the US began in January with the results expected in the second-half of next year rather than the first-half as planned.

The drug developer said the latest clinical assessment of its CTX therapy, if positive, will be one of two trials required to support marketing authorisations.

Exomes potential 

ReNeuron also said it is “pursuing opportunities to capitalise on the significant scientific and industry interest in its exosomes technology by forming value-generating, business partnerships”.

Exosomes are nanoparticles released by cells and contain a number of active proteins and micro RNAs that are believed to play a key role in cell-to-cell communication.

A growing body of evidence demonstrates that exosomes can modulate cellular immunity and promote the activation of regenerative or repair programmes in diseased or injured cells.

The company’s CTX cells release large amounts of exosomes when grown in the laboratory enabling its scientists to purify and characterise them.

First candidate 

ExoPr0 is ReNeuron’s first CTX-derived exosome therapeutic. It has demonstrated pre-clinical potential as both a treatment and a drug delivery vehicle.

In January the firm told investors it had signed an exomes collaboration agreement with an unnamed US-based group. On Wednesday it revealed it is in “active early discussions” with other commercial third parties.

As at the end of March, the business had just over £29mln in the bank. Including the £6mln upfront payment from its collaboration with Fosun, ReNeuron reckons it has funds enough for at least the next 12 months.

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