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Maas BiolAB Awarded $2.1 Million SBIR for Cyclosporin ALS Treatment
SANTA FE, NM - Albuquerque-based neuropharmaceutical company Maas BiolAB has received a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant of $2.1 million over three years from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the translational project “Intrathecal Cyclosporin for the Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).”
Cyclosporin has been shown to substantially extend life in ALS mice. Mitogard®, the only cyclosporin formula designed for cerebrospinal fluid administration, was developed because systemic cyclosporin does not easily reach the brain and spinal cord. Dose escalation toxicology and safety studies of Mitogard® will be performed under Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) by Northern Biomedical Research, enabling Investigational New Drug (IND) approval for ALS clinical trials.
"I want to personally congratulate Maas BiolAB on their marvelous achievement in getting a $2.1 Million SBIR award,” said New Mexico Economic Development Cabinet Secretary Fred Mondragón. “This is a great honor and reflects on the outstanding scientific capabilities of the company. The fact that it addresses a dreaded disease like ALS makes the award even more awe-inspiring.”
ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease causes progressive death of motor neurons in the brain and spine leading to paralysis and death usually within three years. There are as many as 30,000 Americans with ALS with 5,000 dying each year.
Marcus Keep, M.D., CEO of Maas BiolAB, stated, “This translational funding from the NIH is a substantial leap toward treating ALS patients. While the patients are few, the commitment from the NIH demonstrates their understanding of the importance of taking a bold chance on a promising therapy for real disease.”
“I am very excited to take this promising drug from experimental research onto the path of FDA approval and clinical treatment of patients,” said Dr. Jenny Karlsson, Principal Investigator and Maas BiolAB’s Director of Preclinical Development. “My personal goal is to deliver a safe and effective treatment for this rare and terrible disease.”
About Dr. Karlsson: Jenny Karlsson, Ph.D., received her doctorate at the Wallenberg Neuroscience Centre, Lund University, Sweden. She researched cyclosporin neuroprotection in ALS mice at the University of Hawaii and was an Assistant Professor at the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy before joining Maas BiolAB.
About Maas BiolAB: Maas BiolAB, LLC is a private company in Albuquerque, NM, developing Mitogard®, the only cyclosporin formula designed for CSF delivery, to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Maas BiolAB holds world patents for cyclosporin neuroprotection against chronic neurological diseases and has FDA Orphan Drug Designation for cyclosporin to treat ALS. Maas BiolAB is located in the Technology Ventures Corporation Incubator (TVC SBIR Outreach Center director Barbara Stoller). NeuroPharma AB is a research partner developing NeuroSTAT®, an intravenous cyclosporin formula to treat traumatic brain injury.
For more information on Maas BiolAB, LLC, visit maasbiolab.com or contact Michael Vickers at 505-843-4230 or michael@maasbiolab.com.
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