SAN FRANCISCO and WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., July 11, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cantabio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTCQB:CTBO) today announced the signing of an agreement with Purdue Research Foundation (PRF) to advance the company’s development work on targeting DJ-1 protein small molecule pharmaceutical chaperone drug candidates for the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and other related neurodegenerative diseases. The agreement gives Cantabio access to intellectual property derived from the joint research done at Purdue University and Cantabio, further strengthening the company’s intellectual property position in DJ-1 pharmaceutical chaperones, and provides further confidence in the validity of the therapeutic program for PD and neurodegenerative diseases in general. These drug candidates have now been validated in relevant cell disease model experiments in three separate laboratories, Purdue University, University of Antioquia and Cantabio Pharmaceuticals, thereby further increasing the company’s confidence in taking these forward towards clinical trials.
Pharmaceutical chaperones are small molecules designed to enter cells and serve as molecular scaffolding to prevent or reverse the misfolding and loss of function of proteins. Misfolded proteins are associated with numerous diseases, particularly neurodegenerative diseases including PD and Alzheimer’s disease.
Cantabio has been working on its portfolio of novel pharmaceutical chaperone therapeutic candidates with globally recognized Purdue University neurobiologist Jean-Christophe Rochet, Ph.D. since 2009, with research funding from the Michael J Fox Foundation. To date, the results from these studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of these molecules in protecting brain PD relevant cell disease models. Dr. Rochet’s laboratory is continuing to collaborate with Cantabio to investigate selected Cantabio drug candidates in primary neuron models of Parkinson’s Disease.
Data from the collaboration will be presented at the 4th World Parkinson Congress in Portland, Oregon on September 20-23, 2016.
Purdue University is a vast laboratory for discovery. The university is known not only for science, technology, engineering, and math programs, but also for its imagination, ingenuity, and innovation. It’s a place where those who seek an education come to make their ideas real — especially when those transformative discoveries lead to scientific, technological, social, or humanitarian impact. Founded in 1869 in West Lafayette, Indiana, the university serves its state as well as the nation and the world. Academically, Purdue’s role as a major research institution is supported by top-ranking disciplines in pharmacy, business, engineering, and agriculture. More than 39,000 students are enrolled. All 50 states and 130 countries are represented in its student population.