$750,000 grant to biopharmaceutical company will fund work of OMRF scientists

The Phase 2 award will fund early pharmaceutical development activities with a lead drug candidate for use in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease) and Huntington’s disease. The molecule was identified in a previous collaboration between OMRF and EncorePharma under an SBIR Phase 1 award.

“A targeted, high-quality biochemical approach was the centerpiece of our early research and SBIR Phase 1 collaboration with EncorePharma,” said Floyd, who heads OMRF’s Free Radical Biology and Aging Research Program. “With the SBIR 2 award, our first lead candidates from this approach can be evaluated as potential new therapies for age-associated decline in neurologic and cardiovascular function.”

This new award will also support Drs. Hensley and Floyd’s ongoing efforts to identify natural products and natural-product-derived small molecules for use in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.

“This award further validates the research work that has been conducted over the last 18 months and was partially supported by an SBIR Phase 1 grant,” said Dr. Barbara Loughman, president of EncorePharma. “We will now move quickly into the first stages of pre-clinical development with our first lead therapeutic candidate in this area.

About EncorePharma
A privately owned biopharmaceutical research and development company with offices located in California and Ohio, EncorePharma (www.encorepharma.com) is focused on the discovery and early development of proprietary technology in both the pharmaceutical and nutritional fields. EncorePharma’s research and development of lead drug and product candidates is focused on treatment of the major disorders associated with aging such as metabolic syndrome, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and cardiovascular disease.