EnVivo Pharmaceuticals Forms Research Collaboration With CHDI October 25, 2006
CHDI to Support and Fund Two Preclinical Programs Focused on Huntington’s Disease
For Immediate Release
WATERTOWN, Mass., October 25, 2006 -- EnVivo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing drugs for neurodegenerative diseases, today announced it has established a research collaboration agreement with CHDI, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to pursuing a biotech approach to rapidly discover and develop drugs that prevent or slow Huntington’s Disease (HD).
In this collaboration, CHDI will provide financial and research support to EnVivo on two preclinical programs. EVP 2442 and analogs target an inflammatory pathway that is believed to play a role in the neurodegenerative processes in HD. The second program is intended to refine the pharmacology and pharmaceutical properties of EVP 3546, a re-purposed generic compound that EnVivo has progressed to the final stages of preclinical development. Both programs could deliver preclinical development candidates by the second half of 2007.
“These two programs constitute novel compounds with potentially disease modifying mechanisms,” said Kees Been, president and chief executive officer of EnVivo. “Support by the CHDI not only validates these programs, but also allows us to apply more critical mass to pushing them forward."
“EnVivo’s programs based on their HD Drosophila disease model offer a novel and exciting approach to discover and develop treatments for HD,” said Robert Pacifici, CSO of CHDI.
About CHDI, Inc. and High Q Foundation
CHDI Inc. and the High Q Foundation, Inc. (High Q) are non-profit organizations that share the mission of bringing together academia, industry, governmental agencies, and other funding organizations in the search for Huntington disease (HD) treatments.
CHDI, Inc. is pursuing a biotech approach to rapidly discover and develop drugs that prevent or slow HD. Through collaborations with industrial and academic partners, CHDI, Inc. participates in all aspects of drug discovery and development from high throughput screening to preclinical development. For more information about CHDI, Inc. and its collaborative programs please see www.chdi-inc.org or contact Robert Pacifici (robert.pacifici@chdi-inc.org).
High Q supports HD research aimed at target identification and validation, the development and use of animal models, drug delivery, and the search for markers of disease progression. For more information about High Q and its support of HD research please see www.highqfoundation.org or contact Ethan Signer (ethan.signer@highqfoundation.org) or Allan Tobin (allan.tobin@highqfoundation.org).
About Huntington Disease
HD is a familial disease, passed from parent to child through a mutation in a gene. Each child of an HD parent has a 50-50 chance of inheriting the HD gene which causes programmed degeneration of brain cells and results in emotional disturbance, loss of intellectual faculties and uncontrolled movements. Most people with HD develop the symptoms at midlife but in some people onset occurs in infancy or old age. The average survival time after onset is approximately fifteen to twenty years. It is estimated that about one in every 10,000 persons has the HD gene. At this time, there is no way to stop or reverse the course of HD.
About EnVivo Pharmaceuticals
EnVivo Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering and developing drugs for central nervous system (CNS) disorders including, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and Spino Cerebellar Ataxias. The company’s lead programs include a Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonist Program (alpha-7) for Alzheimer’s disease, a Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) Program for Huntington’s disease and several neuroprotection programs, such as EVP-3546 and EVP-2442, for Huntington’s disease as well as other neurodegenerative indications. More information about EnVivo is available at http://www.envivopharma.com.
CONTACTS:
EnVivo Pharmaceuticals
Media Relations
(617) 563-5800
Robert Pacifici, Ph.D.
Chief Scientific Advisor to CHDI, Inc.
310-342-5507
robert.pacifici@chdi-inc.org
Ethan Signer, Ph.D.
Senior Scientific Advisor to High Q
212-219-0347
ethan.signer@highqfoundation.org
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