NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals (ASX:NSB) has received another boost with news its lead drug candidate EmtinBTM has passed a safety and tolerance study. 

EmtinBTM is a synthetic version of a human regenerative protein which can inhibit cell deaths and mediate neuroinflammation. While it has not yet been tested in humans, previous studies have shown promising results and this study was no exemption.

The study was a 4-week ocular safety and tolerance study in non-human primates and was conducted by Toxikon, a US entity which provides pre-clinical safety studies and is approved by the FDA to do so.

The study showed EmtinBTM, administered by intravitreal injection, was well tolerated across a 28 day period.

Another positive outcome from the study, which involved three different dose groups (low, mid and high), was that no abnormal findings were found across any of the three groups. In fact, the high-dose group established a safety margin more than thrice the planned clinical dose.

Research breakthrough

While intravitreal injections are increasingly employed to battle diseases, the safety hurdle can be difficult to pass with the potential for complications to arise, but NeuroScientific passed the study without any abnormal findings.

NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals’ CEO Matt Liddlelow said the results were pleasing.

“These positive results, combined with all non-clinical safety data generated to date, provide significant confidence in our progress towards developing EmtinBTM as a safe and effective treatment for ocular conditions that damage the optic nerve, such as glaucoma which is one of the leading causes of blindness globally,” he said.

The strong results come at an important time for NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals, as it prepares to launch the first human clinical trials before the end of this calendar year.

The company found a research partner last week to help it with the trial.

Today’s update adds to a positive run of news flow for the company, which recently welcomed Paul Rennie, founder of ASX biotech multibagger Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals, in the role of non-executive chairman.

There was also the FDA’s first ever approval of a treatment shown to slow Alzheimer’s – a development which has drawn significant attention to ASX companies that are battling neurological diseases and NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals is one of them.

Investors have begun to take notice, with shares in the company up by 20 per cent over the past month, and 50 per cent over the past year.

This article was developed in collaboration with NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.

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