Argenica (ASX:AGN) provides more proof of traumatic brain injury reduction

Argenica Therapeutics’ preclinical study at the University of Adelaide has provided more evidence of neuroprotective drug ARG-007 significantly reducing brain cell damage caused by mild to moderate traumatic brain injury in an animal model.

A ferret model closely resembling the gross anatomy of the human brain showed a significant reduction in key protein markers associated with brain injury, with levels in memory and mental functioning areas of the brain returned to a non-injured equivalent.

The study also demonstrated a reduction in markers of the inflammation which persists as a long-lasting secondary cause of brain injury back to a non-injured level.

While the main focus is on clinical trials underway to judge efficacy against stroke, further preclinical data finding a reduction in harm from a common brain injury is nevertheless encouraging.

Argenica Managing Director Dr Liz Dallimore said the study data supported and affirmed previous rodent studies and had shown ARG-007’s significant potential as a brain injury therapeutic.

Dr Dallimore said the company looked forward to expanding the investigative program of work alongside the University of Adelaide, noting a goal “to ensure we have robust preclinical data to build a strong scientific and clinical rationale to progresses ARG-007 into a phase 2 clinical trial in TBI patients.”

“Based on the positive results shown in this study, the company will investigate the performance of ARG-007 in a larger scale ferret preclinical study to further validate this data,” she said.

“Taken together with previous rodent studies, this will provide Argenica with a robust preclinical data set on the efficacy of ARG-007 in TBI.”

The mid-stage biotechnology company’s therapeutic had been proven safe and tolerable in healthy patients in previous studywork, with clinical trialling over stroke patients now underway across Australia’s hospitals in a study that has already been judged safe for continued efficacy testing by a Data Safety Monitoring Board.

Beyond stroke, the drug’s priority treatments are traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer’s disease, and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy – a rare but devastating condition caught by infants around childbirth.

ARG-007 has been granted an Orphan Drug Designation and Rare Pediatric Disease Designation by the US Food and Drug Administration for HIE, providing critical ongoing interaction, aid in clinical trials, and potential market exclusivity.

Read more on the discovery of ARG-007 and Argenica’s path to clinical trials: Dr Liz Dallimore and the virtue of patients

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