CARDIFF, Calif., March 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — NI Research has released the March issue of NeuroPerspective, which reviews and assesses the range of neurotherapeutics programs in development for Huntington's Disease. Huntington's is a devastating orphan neurodegenerative disorder known to affect approximately 30,000 patients in the United States, with another 150-200,000 individuals genetically at risk for the disease. Recent weeks have seen the release of Phase II trial results in HD from both Prana Biotechnology and Raptor Pharmaceuticals, those results catalyzing fresh interest in this area.
As NeuroPerspective publisher Harry Tracy PhD notes: "Huntington's is an orphan disorder, but it takes a tremendous toll on HD patients and their families. Because it is a disease whose genetic antecedent is clearcut, it may also be more accessible to the development of new treatments than are the more heterogeneous populations suffering from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. At the same time, what is learned from the development of therapeutics for HD could turn out to be applicable to significant subpopulations of those larger-scale disorders."
The March issue of NeuroPerspective includes a detailed assessment of the Phase II results announced by Prana and Raptor, results that have led to some controversy because of overstatements and underreporting in their public disclosures. As Tracy comments: "The past few weeks have offered vivid case studies of the limitations of relatively small and short-duration trials in proving, or disproving, the merits of experimental treatments for CNS disorders, and the ease with which disclosure can veer towards hyperbole."
Among the other HD programs covered in this review are those under development by Isis/Roche, Auspex, Alnylam, Lundbeck, NeuroPhage, Omeros, Proteostasis/Biogen-Idec, Sangamo Biosciences, Teva Pharmaceutical, Vybion, and Zenobia. This issue also assesses the current state of neuroscience at AstraZeneca; trends in funding for CNS companies during the past two months; and includes an overview of Prana Biotechnology in the Company Spotlight section.
NeuroPerspective is the authoritative, independent, monthly review of the neurotherapeutics area, providing critical analyses of therapeutic programs-in-development. Recent issues have reviewed the areas of Multiple Sclerosis, Innovation in Neurotherapeutics, Autism, and Alzheimer's.
A one-year subscription to NeuroPerspective is $2390. Nonprofit and academic pricing is available. The Huntington's Issue is being made available as a single-issue purchase, for $250.
NI Research is the leading publisher of independent research on the neuropharmaceutical/therapeutic industry, having published NeuroPerspective (formerly NeuroInvestment) since 1995.
NI Research has developed an unmatched information base regarding both publicly and privately held neurotherapeutics companies, and offers strategic/licensing consultation services.
Contact: NI Research, P.O. Box 1028, Cardiff CA 92007; 760-753-6376, info@niresearch.com, http://www.niresearch.com