News

Alberta pharmaceutical industry expands international partnerships

$2- million research project explores bringing new medicine into hospitals

San Diego, California... Alberta’s technology business environment has led to a new partnership to bring an innovative new respiratory drug to market. Alberta will help commercialize a new application of AMPAKINE compounds through a partnership with California-based Cortex Pharmaceuticals, the University of Alberta, and spin-off company, Neurochemical Modulation Inc.

 “Alberta partnerships with California-based research companies are growing,” said Premier Ed Stelmach from San Diego, as he leads a mission to California accompanied by Doug Horner, Minister of Advanced Education and Technology. “More partnerships, like this one with Cortex, are likely with the help of Alberta’s Action Plan: Bringing Technology to Market that I announced on June 11.”

“Alberta’s impressive research infrastructure is attracting interest from more companies,” said Horner. “This is greatly expanding the scope of Alberta’s technology sector, which is one of the goals of our action plan that the Premier and I announced last week,”

Dr. John Greer of the University of Alberta, working in collaboration with Neurochemical Modulation Inc., is leading research on applications of the compounds. Recent studies by Greer have demonstrated that AMPAKINE compounds, which influence nerve signal transmission in the brain, may have potential to treat post-operative respiratory depression — a condition induced by drugs often used after surgery and central nervous system depressants such as barbiturates. The compounds stimulate breathing and may also help the same symptom due to sleep apnea.

“Dr. Greer’s work with our compounds opened up a whole new area of application of our proprietary AMPAKINE technology,” said Dr. Roger Stoll, Chief Executive Officer of Cortex, “In the first year of our collaboration with Dr. Greer and the University of Alberta, we were able to develop this technology such that we are now within 30 days of obtaining the first results of clinical testing in humans.” 

In May 2007, Cortex and the University of Alberta executed an exclusive patent license agreement for Greer’s AMPAKINE-related intellectual property for the use of Cortex’s proprietary compounds. In addition to the Alberta government and Cortex Pharmaceuticals, the project is supported by partners the Canadian Institute of Health Research and the RETT Foundation, a US-based non-profit. Total Alberta government funding is $825,000

“This project is a great example of how researchers in academia can work with the private and public sectors to bring new knowledge in pharmaceuticals to patients who will benefit,” said Greer.

Cortex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. of Irvine California (COR, American Stock Exchange) focuses on novel drug therapies including its proprietary AMPAKINE compounds, which act to increase the strength of signals in the brain. Cortex is also exploring therapies that may address symptoms due to Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s Disease as well as other neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Attachment: Backgrounder on the Alberta-California pharmaceutical project

Media inquiries may be directed to:
Earl Mckenzie, Public Affairs Officer
Advanced Education and Technology
Phone: 780-415-0891
E-mail: earl.mckenzie@gov.ab.ca

To call toll-free within Alberta dial 310-0000.

Alberta and California partners collaborate on pharmaceutical licensing project

Project partners
Cortex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Cortex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (COR, American Stock Exchange) is focused on the discovery and clinical development of AMPAKINE molecules. Cortex, located in Irvine, California, is a neuroscience company focused on novel drug therapies for neurological and psychiatric disorders including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. The company is pioneering a class of proprietary pharmaceuticals, which act to increase the strength of signals at connections between brain cells.

Dr. John Greer
Greer is an Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research scientist and professor at the University of Alberta. He is a faculty member of the department of physiology, Centre for Neuroscience and Perinatal Research Centre. He received his Ph D in physiology from the University of Alberta in 1988 and became a postdoctoral research associate at the University of California in 1992. He joined the University of Alberta as an associate professor in 1998. He has earned numerous awards including the Canadian Physiological Society J.A.F. Stevenson Award (National Young Investigator Award).

Neurochemical Modulation Inc.
Neurochemical Modulation Inc. is a University of Alberta spin-off company formed to commercialize licensed applications of Cortex Pharmaceuticals proprietary AMPAKINE compound.

Funding