The Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute (BRNI) at West Virginia University has entered into a strategic Joint Product Development and Commercialization Agreement with Neurotrope BioScience, a biotechnology company, in the field of neurodegenerative disease. The central focus of this collaboration will be to advance novel diagnostic and therapeutic technologies developed at BRNI that have shown exceptional promise in both preclinical and clinical models of Alzheimer's disease.

The collaboration between BRNI and Neurotrope BioScience combines the significant efforts BRNI has invested in elucidating new, paradigm changing methods to treat Alzheimer's disease with the translational medicine capabilities of Neurotrope BioScience. The commercial introduction in the 2014 timeframe of a new, non-invasive diagnostic test for early stage Alzheimer's disease is the first milestone this collaboration seeks to achieve.

Following this, the BRNI-Neurotrope BioScience team will be initiating several phase II clinical trials in this disease with novel drug prototypes discovered at BRNI. The first commercial introduction of one of these experimental medicines could occur in 2018. The scope of this effort is unprecedented and will involve ongoing contributions from BRNI research personnel and other resources within the state of West Virginia. It also presages an entirely different concept on what causes Alzheimer's disease and how to treat the ravaging effects of this terrible malady.

"We are incredibly excited to advance the scientific discoveries at BRNI into mid-stage clinical trials where we intend to investigate our drug prototypes in not only Alzheimer's disease, but also ischemic stroke and Fragile X syndrome,” said Dr. Daniel Alkon, scientific director at BRNI, and new chief scientific officer at Neurotrope BioScience. “Our long range plans are to advance several drug candidates in this arena to marketing approval by the FDA. This will take time and money, but we have great momentum and urgency driving our efforts."

Dr. Jim New, president and CEO of Neurotrope BioScience, said, "We are privileged to have a partner such as BRNI. For the last 13 years they have quietly pursued an independent research plan ignoring the conventional wisdom that has guided drug development efforts in the Alzheimer's field for the last 25 years. Their successes in this area validate both their mission statement and research strategy. As a result, we have a great technology platform that provides fresh insights on how to treat neurodegenerative diseases."