ALGORAE PHARMACEUTICALS LIMITED 
By Regenerative cell therapy offers hope for Australians with
Parkinson's disease
17 June 2013 - Sydney, Australia - A new cell therapy for Parkinson's disease may regenerate damaged tissue in the brain, according to the exciting results of preclinical studies which are to be presented at the International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders in Sydney today.
The cell therapy, known as NTCELL®, is being developed for the treatment of Parkinson's disease by Australian registered biotechnology company, Living Cell Technologies Limited (ASX: LCT), and is currently in Phase I clinical trials in humans.
NTCELL is transplanted into the affected area of the brain that can no longer produce dopamine - a neurotransmitter which conveys messages between brain cells to ensure effective movement and planning of movement. The cell therapy is coated in a protective capsule to prevent it from attack from the patient's immune system.
One in every 350 Australians lives with Parkinson's disease and 30 more people are diagnosed with the disease each day. The current standard treatment for Parkinson's disease is dopamine replacement therapy, but for many patients, these drugs become ineffective over time.
Unlike current therapy options for Parkinson's disease, NTCELL is neuroprotective and offers people living with the disease the hope of being able to halt disease progression and restore quality of life. "NTCELL has shown a significant benefit in animal models of Parkinson's disease," Dr Paul Tan, Chief Science and Medical Officer of LCT said at the congress today. "There was recovery from movement abnormalities, improvements in neurological defects and a demonstrative increase in neural connections and number of dopamine-producing cells in the affected area of the brain. The therapy was well tolerated with no evidence of inflammation or other adverse reaction. The improvements were seen within two weeks and lasted for at least six months, the trial endpoint."
Parkinson's Australia - a national organisation providing services and support to Australians living with Parkinson's, their families and carers - welcomes the prospect of a new therapy option for the disease: "Parkinson's disease affects 70,000 Australians, with a massive social and economic cost," says Parkinson's Australia President, John Bird. "It is a disorder that clinicians can manage, but not reverse, so studies such as these are a great encouragement for all those affected by this disease."
"The unprecedented results of our preclinical studies suggest that NTCELL can protect brain tissue which would otherwise die, potentially delaying or even preventing the effects of Parkinson's disease," adds Dr Andrea Grant, MD and CEO of LCT. "If the product is shown to be safe and effective in humans in our current Phase I and subsequent clinical trials, registration via a fast- tracked development programme could be possible."
Dr Andrea Grant Managing Director Tel: +64 9 270 7941
Mobile: +64 21 078 5421
agrant@lctglobal.com
Rachael Joel
Botica Butler Raudon Partners
Tel: +64 9 303 3862
Mobile: +64 21 403 504 rachaelj@botica.co.nz
Incidence and burden in Australia
