In brief: Prana, ES Cell, Phosphagenics

Alzheimer's specialist Prana Biotechnology (ASX:PRR) has released data from an extension study of its Phase II PBT-1 (clioquinol) trial, showing that the drug appeared to slow the rate of decline.

The open-label trial gave patients who participated in the 36-week Phase II trial the opportunity to remain on the treatment for a further 48 weeks, for a total of 84 weeks. 18 patients out of 27 elected to continue the study with nine completing the full 84 weeks of treatment.

According to Prana CEO Jonas Alsenas, the rate of disease progression, as measured by ADAS-cog scores, in the patients slowed by about half, with the rate of decline suggesting that the treatment had a disease modifying effect, rather than cognition enhancement. PBT-1 was also well tolerated. The company is evaluating the next steps in the development of PBT-1 as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease.

ES Cell International

Australian-born, Singapore-based stem cell company ES Cell International (ESI) has been awarded a US$1 million resource infrastructure enhancement grant by the NIH. The funding will provide support over the next three years for the company's research activities into the growth, expansion and characterisation of human embryonic stem cells, as well as the testing, quality assurance and distribution of several ESI cell lines listed on the NIH's human embryonic stem cell registry. ESI owns six out of the 22 cell lines currently on the registry.

CEO Robert Klupacs said the company was grateful to the NIH for its support and validation of the company's efforts to provide its stem cell lines to researchers around the world.

Phosphagenics

Large-scale animal studies to evaluate the application of Phosphagenics' (ASX:POH) cardiovascular drug APA-01 have commenced at the University of Bern, the University of California and Monash University. The studies focus on the ability of the drug to improve the absorption and efficiency of statins, a popular class of drugs used to reduce cholesterol levels, in animal models of cardiovascular disease.

APA-01 will be evaluated both alone and in combination with commercially approved statin drugs, with results expected in early 2005. The company plans to commence human clinical trials in the first half of 2005.