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Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic and Area Companies Team to Create Ohio Center for Neural Repair

Posted on: Thursday, 26 October 2006, 12:00 CDT

Several Northeast Ohio research centers and bioscience companies have partnered to create the Ohio Center for Neural Repair (OCNR), focusing on the development and rapid commercialization of innovative approaches to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of severe neurological diseases, including Parkinsons', Multiple Sclerosis, and Stroke.

The Center brings together the strengths of several of the region's leading research capabilities, including the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and the Cleveland Clinic Foundation's neurological research expertise, the Case Neural Imaging Center, The Center for Neuromodulation, and the Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine.

"The World Health Organization expects Neurologic diseases to exceed cancer as the number two cause of death by 2040," stated Robert Miller, Ph.D., Principal Investigator for the Center. "The creation of the Ohio Center for Neural Repair represents a truly novel partnership between industry and academia that will radically accelerate research development and market entry of therapeutic products in neurologic disease."

OCNR also announced the receipt of its first award -- a $310,000 grant from NorTech, the Northeast Ohio Technology Coalition. This grant, funded by the Fund for our Economic Future, will allow OCNR partners Case, Arteriocyte, Inc. and Athersys to assess stem cell therapy delivery to the brain for treatment of stroke.

Two cell therapy products (both adult-derived) currently under development will be evaluated: Arteriocyte's stem cell product ACY001 and Athersys' cell product MultiStemTM. The NorTech grant provides funding for assessment of stem cell delivery, biodistribution and retention in a rat stroke model; these data will be critical for obtaining FDA approval for use in humans. The study will be led by Jeffrey Duerk Ph.D., Director of the Case Center for Imaging Research and Professor of Radiology at Case and Assistant Professor Zhenghong Lee, Ph.D., also from Radiology.

"This grant from NorTech to the OCNR recognizes the unique opportunity to capitalize on Northeast Ohio strengths in neuroscience, stem cell therapeutics and powerful imaging technologies at Case and to identify new measures of response to therapy," explained Duerk.

"This NorTech grant validates the synergies between the Center's remarkable interventional and neurologic imaging capabilities, and our company's novel stem cell therapy to effectively bridge bench to bedside translational development," said Don Brown, CEO of Arteriocyte, Inc. "We expect this partnership with the OCNR to enable us to speed the development of our cell therapy products for potential benefit in neurological disease."

"Through the creation of the OCNR, Northeast Ohio will capitalize on significant world leading expertise in neurological disorders to create a game changing atmosphere that will help attract additional leading CNS companies to the state," added Pamela Davis, M.D., Interim Dean of the CWRU School of Medicine.

Source: Business Wire

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