Bionure and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society work together to develop a new chemical compound for optical neuritis and multiple sclerosis
<p>Fast Forward will provide Bionure with funds to conduct advanced preclinical development of their neuroprotector BN201</p>
Bionure, a company devoted to preclinical drug development focusing on minority ophthalmological diseases, has signed a Sponsored Research Agreement with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society through Fast Forward, its commercial research subsidiary.
Fast Forward, which focuses on speeding up development of new, improved therapies for multiple sclerosis, will provide Bionure with funding for advanced preclinical development of BN201. This will make it possible to fill out the Investigational New Drug (IND) Application to support phase-1 clinical trials on acute optical neuritis, which is often the first symptom of multiple sclerosis.
BN201 is a novel chemical compound, the first neuroprotector of its type being developed for optical neuritis. Beyond its neuroprotective functions, the compound has been proven to stimulate myelin repair through the differentiation of OPCs into mature oligodendrocytes and promoting the creation of myelin sheaths around the axons of neurons. Protecting the nervous system from damage and repairing damage already done through myelin repair has the potential to restore functions lost by those with optical neuritis and multiple sclerosis.