Rheumatoid arthritis drug totally reverses joint damage!

NewsBot · Feb 8, 2006

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ABC are reporting this apparent breakthrough:
Garvan Institute claims rheumatoid arthritis success
Wednesday, February 8, 2006. 6:43pm (AEDT)

Researchers at the Garvan Institute in Sydney say they have developed a new drug which can cure the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

The drug was given to mice with the disease.

Within hours, their inflamed tissue returned to normal.

The Garvan Institute has signed a commercialisation deal with an international pharmaceutical company.

Professor Charles Mackay says they hope to start human trials of the drug next year.

"You can induce rheumatoid arthritis in mice and their joints became inflamed and swollen," he said.

"When you apply our drug you can completely reverse this process and the joint looks completely normal and there is no evidence of any inflammatory cells in the joint."
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NewsBot · Feb 8, 2006

Rheumatoid arthritis

NineMSN are reporting more detail on this:
Trials set to begin for arthritis breakthrough

A team of Sydney scientists are looking to start human trials for a new treatment to fight rheumatoid arthritis, a condition which affects the lives of 21 million people worldwide.

Announced today, the Garvan Institute says it has developed a natural antibody which inhibits inflammation in the body, eliminating the causes behind the swelling and pain hallmarks of rheumatoid arthritis. But so far, the antibody has only been tested on mice, whose inflamed joints returned to normal within a few days.

"It not only completely prevents disease, but in animals that already have disease it completely reverses the disease process," Charles McKay, from the Garvan's Arthritis and Inflammation program says.

The antibody works by restricting overactive immune cells travelling from the bloodstream into tissue where the damage is caused.

"The next step is to translate the highly effective outcome we see in mice to human patients," Professor McKay says.

"If we can do this we will have a revolutionary new treatment for a number of important human diseases".

Professor McKay also said the treatment could be used for psoriasis, asthma, heart attack and transplant patients.

An agreement was reached today between the Garvan's biotechnology company G2Therapies Limited and major drug company Novo Nordisk, to test the new therapy on human patients.

The trials are expected to take five years.
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DaVinci · Feb 8, 2006

Rheumatoid arthritis

I was just watching this on the TV news tonite. Good to see Newsbot is on top of the breaking news. Certainly looks promising.

NewsBot · Feb 8, 2006

Rheumatoid arthritis

More on this story:
G2 Therapies and Novo Nordisk Announce Global Research, Development and License Agreement to Develop and Commercialise Anti-inflammatory Therapies

BAGSVÆRD, Denmark, Feb. 8, 2006--Australian biotechnology company, G2 Therapies Limited, and global healthcare leader, Novo Nordisk, today announced one of Australia’s most significant biotechnology licensing agreements.

The agreement between G2 Inflammation Pty Ltd (G2I), a subsidiary of G2 Therapies Limited, and Novo Nordisk A/S, will see both companies collaborate to develop, manufacture and commercialise new anti-inflammatory therapies based on G2’s C5a Receptor antibodies.

The antibodies licensed under this agreement were first developed by professor Mackay at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research. Anti-C5a Receptor therapies have potential application in several important indications, including rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases.

The terms of the agreement include a 6 million US dollars upfront payment and other success-based payments to a potential total of 102 million dollars, plus royalties on commercialised therapeutics. Additionally, G2I will be reimbursed by Novo Nordisk for expenses incurred under this collaboration.

“We are delighted to announce this collaboration with Novo Nordisk. This is one of the most significant licensing agreements achieved by any Australian biotech, and confirms our strategy of applying our unique antibody development capabilities to a pipeline of validated gene targets from the Garvan Institute,” said Stephen Conlon, CEO, G2 Therapies. “We look forward to working with Novo Nordisk to develop anti-inflammatory therapies that will potentially benefit millions of people worldwide and to expanding our operations to bring other inflammation and cancer therapeutics to the market.”

The agreement with G2 provides an important addition to Novo Nordisk’s growing portfolio of biopharmaceuticals projects within cancer and inflammation. Commenting on the agreement, Terje Kalland, MD, PhD, head of Novo Nordisk’s Biopharmaceuticals Research Unit said:

“Our strategy is to leverage our core capabilities within proteins and inflammation through partnerships with leading biotech companies and research institutions around the world. G2’s project falls right into our own focus areas, and we are excited about the potential of this joint project.”
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From MedaNews

NewsBot · Feb 8, 2006

It even made the news in Wodonga ;) :
Arthritis drug may ease the pain of millions

AUSTRALIAN scientists say they have developed a drug that may help prevent and reverse debilitating inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis.

The new drug, developed by the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, also could help sufferers of multiple sclerosis, asthma, sepsis, heart attack and psoriasis as well as transplant patients.

Millions of people around the world are affected by diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, a severe form of arthritis.

The new drug, which has been tried on mice with success, could ease pain and improve wellbeing for sufferers, the head of Garvans arthritis and inflammation program, Charles Mackay, said yesterday.

Scientists have identified the mechanism by which a white blood cell enters a tissue, releasing toxic substances and causing damage in the joints.

The drug, once injected, works within hours to completely return a diseased tissue back to a normal tissue, Prof Mackay said.

“The drug developed is highly effective at inhibiting disease in animals,” he said.

“It not only completely prevents disease, but in animals that already have disease it completely reverses the disease process.

“The turnaround is quite remarkable.”

But he stopped short of describing the breakthrough as a cure for the diseases.

“Cure is a very strong word,” Prof Mackay said.

“The disease does come back, as in many chronic inflammatory diseases.”

Executive director of the Garvan Institute John Shine described the development as a “major milestone” for Australian medicine.

“Its another great example of the excellence of Australian medical research across the board,” Prof Shine said.

The next step now is a clinical human trial.

This is likely to be 18 months away and could take five to 10 years.

The institute will call for volunteers for the trial.
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From the Wodonga Border Mail

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DaVinci Well-Known Member

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