Edge Therapeutics entered a multiyear research and discovery collaboration with St. Michael’s Hospital, which is affiliated with the University of Toronto, to focus on new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of various acute neurological conditions resulting from neurovascular instability.
The partnership combines Edge’s scientific expertise in neurovascular disease with the research and high-throughput drug screening resources of St. Michael’s Hospital. Initially the alliance will focus on using validated models of intracerebral hemorrhage, cavernous malformations, and traumatic brain injury developed by St. Michael’s to rapidly screen libraries of compounds for therapeutic activity, and to identify and optimize lead candidates for Edge’s early-stage pipeline.
In June, Edge initiated patient enrollment in the third cohort of NEWTON, a Phase I/II trial of its lead product candidate EG-1962. The study is evaluating the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of EG-1962 compared to the current standard of care, oral nimodipine, in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Edge is also investigating a second compound, EG-1964, for prevention of recurrence of chronic subdural hematoma. The company said it plans to submit an IND for that treatment in 2015.
