Alzheimer's
Leuprolide Biodegradable Implants for Long-term Care of Alzheimer's Patients,under study
By Akanksha,Pharmacology Correspondent
Jan 29, 2005, 14:44

DURECT Corporation and Voyager Pharmaceutical Corporation, announced today the completion of enrollment for the recently approved study for the DURIN(TM)-based leuprolide acetate product candidate for Alzheimer's disease.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted Voyager's Investigational New Drug Application (IND) and clinical protocol in late December, 2004, and this unique formulation is being used in the present study in healthy volunteers to evaluate the product candidate's bioavailability, as well as determine its safety and tolerability following administration. Voyager has completed the enrollment and initial dosing of all screened subjects necessary to complete the trial.

�We are pleased with the progress of this development program. In the last two weeks, the program has achieved two important milestones. First, Voyager has completed enrollment in the 50-patient Phase I pharmacokinetic study for the DURIN-based product candidate. Second, Voyager has completed dosing in its Phase II dose ranging study in women utilizing the active agent,� said James E. Brown, DVM, president and chief executive officer of DURECT. �This product candidate fits with DURECT's mission of utilizing our proprietary drug delivery platforms to develop products that treat chronic debilitating diseases. It has been a pleasure to work with Voyager to bring this product through clinical development.�

�The full enrollment of this study brings Voyager closer to introducing an innovative long-term care therapy for Alzheimer's patients,� said Patrick S. Smith, President and CEO, Voyager Pharmaceutical Corp. �We are pleased with the recruiting and enrollment efficiency of our clinical site, and fully expect our upcoming meeting with the FDA will result in an approval of our plans to proceed with our pivotal studies during the second half of 2005.�

According to the Alzheimer's Association and National Institute of Aging, Alzheimer's disease is an incurable, neurodegenerative disorder that affects more than 4.5 million Americans. The disease typically leads to progressive memory loss, impairments in behavior and language and physical deterioration. Current direct and indirect costs for caring of Alzheimer's patients are estimated at $100 billion annually.

This latest biodegradable implant technology is a platform for short- and long-term parenteral drug delivery lasting in duration from weeks to six months. The technology is based on the use of biodegradable polymer excipients, which have a proven record of safety and effectiveness in approved drug delivery and medical device products.

Voyager Pharmaceutical owns a broad-based patent covering the use of leuprolide acetate and other compounds for the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.

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DURECT Corporation is an emerging specialty pharmaceuticals systems company focused on the development of pharmaceutical systems based on its proprietary drug delivery platform technologies that treat chronic debilitating diseases and enable biotechnology products. These platform technologies include the SABER(TM) Delivery System (a patented and versatile depot injectable useful for protein and small molecule delivery), the ORADUR(TM) sustained release oral gel-cap technology (an oral sustained release technology with several potential abuse deterrent properties), the DURIN(TM) Biodegradable Implant (drug-loaded implant system) and the MICRODUR(TM) Biodegradable Microparticulates (microspheres injectable system). DURECT also partners with pharmaceutical companies to develop and commercialize proprietary and enhanced pharmaceutical products based on its technologies. DURECT has five disclosed on-going development programs of which three are in collaboration with pharmaceutical partners. Additional information about DURECT is available at the company's website.
NOTE: SABER(TM), ORADUR(TM), DURIN(TM) and MICRODUR(TM) are trademarks of DURECT Corporation. Other referenced trademarks belong to their respective owners.


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