The pain portfolio, includes the early clinical-stage drug NP2 enkephalin along with preclinical candidates NG2 GAD and NE2 endomorphin. Positive data from a Phase I trial with NP2 enkephalin were reported earlier.
“We have decided to divide our operations in order to highlight our pain portfolio,” comments Elisabeth Lindner, president and CEO. “We see a great medical need and an opportunity to quickly demonstrate the value of our pain portfolio by continuing our cancer pain program with N22 enkephalin.”
Diamyd’s pain portfolio is based on its NTDDS (nerve-targeting drug delivery system) gene therapy platform, which is designed to deliver the gene for a therapeutic molecule directly to nerve cells, bypassing the bloodstream. Administered by intradermal injection, the vector is delivered into the peripheral nervous system to reside just outside the spinal cord, where the delivered gene is expressed to block pain signals to the brain, Diamyd explains.
The same principal is being applied for the potential treatment of glioma by using the NTDDS technology to deliver cell-killing substances directly to the tumor. Research on the NTDDS platform is carried out primarily at the firm's U.S. facility.
Diamyd’s existing NTDDS products include candidates NP2 enkephalin, NG2 GAD, and NE2 endomorphin for treating chronic pain and NC3 for the treatment of brain cancer.
Earlier the firm reported positive data from a dose-ranging, Phase I trial evaluating NP2 enkephalin in the treatment of chronic cancer pain. Study data showed the treatment resulted in substantial and sustained reductions in pain scores among patients receiving the middle and high doses of NP2. A Phase II study is now running