Muscular Dystrophy: CepTor Receives $12 Million For R&D

Main Category: Muscular Dystrophy / ALS
Article Date: 31 Jan 2005 - 15:00 PDT


CepTor Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of cell-targeted therapeutic products for neuromuscular and neurodegenerative diseases. The Company is focusing its efforts on its lead product, MYODUR, for Duchenne's muscular dystrophy (MD). Currently there is no cure for this disease that affects between 50,000-250,000 sufferers annually. In addition, CepTor is developing products for multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. The Company announced today the completion of a $12 million private placement in which the net proceeds will be used to continue the pre-clinical development of MYODUR including: 1) Submission of an IND for MYODUR and 2) Initiate Phase I/II human clinical trials, if approved by the FDA.

ABOUT MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY

Muscular Dystrophy is a group of inherited diseases in which the muscles that control movement progressively weaken. Duchenne's is the most common form of muscular dystrophy found in children, and only affects males. It appears between the ages of 2 and 6. Many children with the disease will need a wheelchair by the age of 12, and as disease progression continues, usually die in their late teens or early 20's.

ABOUT MYODUR

MYODUR is targeting muscle and nerve cells by using a carnitine carrier molecule and a leupeptin analogue focusing on calpain inhibition. (Formula: carnitine carrier molecule + leupeptin analogue = targeted calpain inhibition). Leupeptin has been studied extensively in a variety of animal models and was shown to be an effective means of slowing or delaying muscle wasting. Carnitine is a compound present in vertebrate muscle involved in the transfer of fatty acids across mitochondrial membranes. Mitochondria is a part of the cell found outside of the nucleus that produces energy for the cell and is rich in fats, proteins and enzymes. Ceptor's technology uses the carnitine carrier molecule to carry the leupeptin analogue into targeted cells that will inhibit the up regulation of calpain.

Calpain exists in every cell of the body and is a protease that degrades cells naturally in a normal metabolic process. When calpain is abnormally up regulated, the cellular degradation process breaks down cells and tissues faster than they can be restored, resulting in several serious neuromuscular and neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, by targeting calpain inhibitors to muscle and nerve cells, MYODUR is looking to prevent the degradation and promote the preservation of those tissues.

Mr. William Pursley, the CEO of CepTor, is available to speak with you about the science of MYODUR, the private placement and business strategy for further pipeline research and development. Please feel free to contact me at 212-370-4500, ext. 26 or andria@wolfeaxelrod.com.

Andria Pilo-Arena
Wolfe Axelrod Weinberger Associates, LLC
andria@wolfeaxelrod.com
212-370-4500, ext. 26

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