Multiple Sclerosis - Nutra Pharma Reports Preclinical Results Of RPI-78M To Be Presented At Scientific Meeting

Main Category: Multiple Sclerosis
Also Included In: Neurology / Neuroscience
Article Date: 12 Feb 2006 - 13:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

Nutra Pharma Corp. (OTCBB:NPHC), a biotechnology company that owns rights to intellectual property related to the development of drugs for HIV and Multiple Sclerosis, has announced that the studies using RPI-78M in an animal model of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) have been accepted for presentation and publication. RPI-78M is the lead drug candidate of Nutra Pharma's holding, ReceptoPharm, Inc. and is being studied in preclinical assays for its efficacy in treating MS.

EAE (experimental allergic encephalomyelitis) is the standard benchmark animal methodology for the study of MS. ReceptoPharm's drug, RPI-78M, proved to be very effective in preventing the onset of disability in acute and chronic models of the disease. The drug was also very effective in preventing the infiltration of immune cells into the central nervous system. This research was conducted to confirm the reported benefits of similar products in immune mediated diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

These results will be presented by Dr. Adel Mohamed at the Rocky Mountain Biotechnology Symposium (RMBS). The Conference is being held at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana on April 7-9. The RMBS has been held annually since 1964. This presentation will also be published in nationally distributed Conference Proceedings through the Instrument Society of America (ISA).

"We are very pleased to start presenting our findings within the scientific community," commented Rik Deitsch, CEO of Nutra Pharma. "The positive results of the animal model as well as the strong findings from the microarray analysis support our move into Phase II human clinical trials," he added.

The study was conducted by researchers in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Saskatchewan. The lead researcher, Associate Professor Dr. Adel Mohamed, reported that the preliminary results indicate that RPI-78M inhibited the development of acute as well as the relapsing phases of the EAE in Lewis rats. The report also stated that, if confirmed, these preliminary results suggest that it is of interest to initiate clinical trials on MS patients using the drug. The conclusion of the report stated that it seems within the realm of possibility that RPI-78M may be as, if not more, therapeutically efficacious as the current interferon drugs in the treatment of neurologic disease.

"The EAE study yielded the results we expected and we are excited at the reduced CNS infiltration by lymphocytes," commented Paul Reid, PhD, CEO of ReceptoPharm. "It is also worth mentioning that the drug has proven to have multi-faceted properties relative to current therapies in MS. It demonstrates the same properties as the current MS therapies combined, in addition to having analgesic properties and minimal toxicity," he added.

There has been a great deal of interest surrounding research in Multiple Sclerosis therapies. There are currently four drugs on the market for the treatment of the disease. A fifth drug, Tysabri, was voluntarily pulled from the marketplace in February 2005 by the drug's manufacturers, Biogen-Idec (Nasdaq:BIIB) and Elan (NYSE:ELN).

About Nutra Pharma Corp.

Nutra Pharma Corp. is a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the acquisition, licensing and commercialization of pharmaceutical products and technologies for the management of neurological disorders, cancer, autoimmune and infectious diseases. Nutra Pharma Corp. through its subsidiaries carries out basic drug discovery research and clinical development and also seeks strategic licensing partnerships to reduce the risks associated with the drug development process. The Company's holding, ReceptoPharm, Inc., is developing technologies for the production of drugs for HIV and Multiple Sclerosis ("MS"). The Company's subsidiary, Designer Diagnostics is engaged in the research and development of diagnostic test kits designed to be used for the rapid identification of infectious diseases such as Tuberculosis (TB) and Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare (MAI). Nutra Pharma continues to identify and acquire intellectual property and companies in the biotechnology arena.

www.nutrapharma.com

This press release contains forward-looking statements. The words or phrases "would be," "will allow," "intends to," "will likely result," "are expected to," "will continue," "is anticipated," "estimate," "project," or similar expressions are intended to identify "forward-looking statements." Actual results could differ materially from those projected in Nutra Pharma's ("the Company") business plan. The Company's business is subject to various risks, which are discussed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The information in this press release should not be construed as an indication in any way whatsoever of the value of the Company or its common stock. The Company's filings may be accessed at the SEC's Edgar system at www.sec.gov. Statements made herein are as of the date of this press release and should not be relied upon as of any subsequent date. The Company cautions readers not to place reliance on such statements. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, we do not undertake, and we specifically disclaim any obligation, to update any forward-looking statements to reflect occurrences, developments, unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statement.

• Additional
• References
• Citations