GeNeuro SA, a Geneva based private biotech company developing therapies for neurology disorders, has announced that the last subject in a Phase I study has been dosed with its monoclonal antibody GNbAC1 for multiple sclerosis (MS). This Phase I study is a single ascending dose study focusing on the safety and pharmacokinetics of the monoclonal antibody. During the study, 33 subjects have received the monoclonal antibody up to the maximal dose which was very well tolerated. GNbAC1 targets the envelope protein of an endogenous retrovirus which could play a critical role in the pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis. Discovered in the early 90’s, the Human endogenous retrovirus of type W is closely associated with MS and, due to its neurotoxic properties, could be a causal factor of the disease. François Curtin, MD, CEO of GeNeuro said: “This is an excellent news for the company to have shown the safety of the product in Humans for the first time. This is a critical moment for MS patients and the MS community in general, as GeNeuro’s approach is a real breakthrough in the therapeutic of this disease and is now ready for testing in patients. We have here a treatment which may stop the progression of the disease by targeting a key upstream factor of MS and which leaves the immune system untouched”. GeNeuro’s next step is to administer the monoclonal antibody to MS patients in clinical studies which will start within the next months.
