NurExone Shows Extended ExoPTEN Therapeutic Window Post-Spinal Cord Injury in Preclinical Study

In a groundbreaking preclinical study, NurExone Biologic Inc., headquartered in Toronto and Haifa, Israel, has revealed promising results for their exosome-based therapy, ExoPTEN, aimed at treating spinal cord injuries. The study's findings indicate that ExoPTEN can effectively target and accumulate at the site of spinal cord injuries, even when administered up to a week after the injury.

Dr. Lior Shaltiel, CEO of NurExone, stressed the significance of this capability, noting that the ability to administer treatment up to seven days post-injury could significantly expand the number of patients eligible for treatment. This extended window for effective treatment could improve patient recruitment for clinical trials and increase the number of treatable patients, despite potential delays in hospital administration.

Spinal cord injuries impact between 250,000 and 500,000 individuals globally each year. Many of these patients do not receive immediate treatment, highlighting the substantial market potential for a therapy like ExoPTEN that remains effective for up to a week post-injury.

In the study, ExoPTEN was tagged with a fluorescent marker and administered to rats with induced spinal cord compression injuries. Treatments were given at four different intervals: immediately on the day of injury, as well as three, five, and seven days later. The results were compared against each other and an untreated control group.

The aim was to assess ExoPTEN's ability to home in on and accumulate at the injury site over time. Using an advanced In Vivo Imaging System (IVIS), it was observed that ExoPTEN consistently localized at the site of injury. A notable trend was observed where later administration times led to higher levels of accumulation, with the highest accumulation seen in rats treated seven days post-injury. This dose-dependent accumulation was statistically significant, underscoring ExoPTEN's potent homing capability even a week after injury.

These results suggest a broad therapeutic window for ExoPTEN, which could enhance the flexibility and timing of treatment interventions, thereby improving recovery outcomes for spinal cord injury patients.

Dr. Noa Avni, Director of Research and Development at NurExone, expressed optimism about these findings, noting their potential impact on the design of upcoming phase I/II clinical trials and patient care. The demonstrated extended therapeutic window not only emphasizes the effectiveness of the exosome-based therapy but also offers hope for more adaptable treatment plans in clinical settings.

NurExone Biologic Inc. is a publicly-traded pharmaceutical company on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV) and the OTCQB. The company is focused on developing biologically-guided, exosome-based therapies for Central Nervous System (CNS) injuries, delivered non-invasively. Their flagship product, ExoPTEN, has shown promise in recovering motor function in 75% of laboratory rats when administered intranasally and has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by the FDA.

NurExone's platform technology aims to offer novel solutions for drug companies seeking noninvasive targeted drug delivery for various indications. The promising results of ExoPTEN highlight the potential for significant advancements in the treatment of spinal cord injuries and underscore the broader applicability of exosome-based therapies in regenerative medicine.