Hi everyone, I haven't seen any posts here about Oxford Biomedica lately, they are busy in Europe with their own version of a gene therapy, similar to Ceregene here in the states (now in Phase II I understand), but are moving forward with their human trial now...let's keep our fingers crossed that their results are as impressive in people as they are saying they are in the animal model:


First Parkinson's Gene Therapy Planned by Oxford Biomedica

By Nuala Moran

BioWorld International Correspondent
LONDON - Oxford Biomedica plc said the first patient is within days of being treated with ProSavin, its gene therapy treatment for Parkinson's disease. The neurosurgery required to administer it has been booked, but the company has agreed with the Henri Mondor Hospital in Paris where the trial is taking place not to disclose the actual date.

It is the first European trial of a gene therapy to treat Parkinson's disease and also the first use of Oxford BioMedica's LentiVector gene delivery system in humans. ProSavin delivers genes for the three enzymes, tyrosine hydroxylase, GTP-cyclohydrolase 1 and aromatic amino acid decarboxylase, that are required for the synthesis of the neurotransmitter dopamine. The product is administered by microinjection into the striatum, where it works to convert the target cells into a replacement dopamine factory.

In animal models, that translates to improvements in movement within one to two weeks and full recovery within five to eight weeks. To date the effect of a single injection has been maintained for 27 months. "Essentially this is a cure with a single administration," said Alan Kingsman, CEO. "This is remarkable by any standards. We are not aware of any other product that does so well in this model, other than L-Dopa."

But while L-dopa is effective in the early stages of Parkinson's disease, as the substantia nigra where it is processed into dopamine is destroyed by the disease, it becomes ineffective. The 18 patients in the Phase I/II trial will be failing on L-Dopa. First data are expected around the middle of this year, and if the effect in animals is replicated Kingsman said Prosavin will go into a Phase III trial in late 2009.

Published March 12, 2008

..and the Europeans move smoother in these things ???

I forgot to add that apparently the animal used in their earlier study was the macque monkey (pretty sure I am NOT spelling that correctly!) but I find that more encouraging than if they had used mice and/or rats with the Prosavin work.