Neuroprotective Agents: Therapeutic Applications and Global Markets

Executive Summary

According to the 2007 Global Burden of Disease report from the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1 billion people worldwide suffered from neurological disorders, including stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease (PD), brain injuries, and glaucoma and other eye disorders. Nearly 7 million people died from these diseases. According to the report, one in six people is stricken by a neurological disorder every year, many of them becoming seriously disabled.

In 2015, neurological disorders ranked as the leading cause of lifelong disabilities among the main disease groups and were the second most common cause of death. Stroke is the leading neurological disorder and it affects more than 15 million people every year worldwide, killing 5 million people and leaving an equal number of people with debilitating disabilities.

In 2015, AD affected more than 46 million people, and it was the second leading cause of death, after stroke. Neurodegenerative disorders such as AD, PD, multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) ranked in the 10 most fatal incurable diseases.

As life spans increase, most of the neurological disorders are becoming more prevalent. Common diseases of advanced age such as glaucoma, AD-associated dementia, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy and PD affect nearly one-fourth of adults over 60.

In the U.S., 1.5 million people suffer from a traumatic central nervous system (CNS) injury each year. This number consists primarily of young adults and the elderly, due to reasons such as accidents, falls, sports- and work-related injuries, combat and self-harm. One-third of injury-related deaths in the U.S. are caused by traumatic brain injuries, which also lead to serious physical disabilities, cognitive disorders and neurodegenerative diseases.

Treating neurological disorders has proved to be greatly challenging. In addition to mostly insufficient clinical research in many neurological disorders, therapeutic limitations are due to a natural protective seal around the brain called the blood-brain barrier, which makes it extremely difficult to effectively diffuse a drug compound into the brain.

Neuroprotection is an approach to the treatment of neurological disorders through the use of therapies that are developed by learning from the brain’s own tools to protect nerve cells from damage, degeneration and death. The human brain, by large and small biological molecules and certain types of cells, can promote growth, survival and differentiation to adapt to sudden changes, trauma and disease. Neuroprotective agents in global markets and clinical pipelines include small molecule drugs, therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, gene therapies, cell therapies and other agents.

Companies Mentioned

• AB Science S.A.
  
• Acucela Inc.
  
• Aerie Pharmaceuticals Inc.
  
• Allergan
  
• Astrazeneca Plc
  
• Athersys Inc.
  
• Avexis Inc.
  
• Bayer Healthcare
  
• Biogen Inc.
  
• Boehringer Ingelheim
  
• Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.
  
• Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.
  
• Celgene Corp.
  
• Corestem Inc.
  
• Covis Pharma
  
• Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
  
• Eisai Inc.
  
• Fortress Biotech Inc.
  
• Genervon Biopharmaceuticals Llc
  
• Glaxosmithkline Plc
  
• GW Pharmaceuticals Plc
  
• H. Lundbeck A/S
  
• Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc.
  
• Medday Pharmaceuticals Sas
  
• Merck Serono S.A.
  
• Mitsubishi Pharma Corp.
  
• Newron Pharmaceuticals Spa
  
• Novartis Ag
  
• Pfizer Inc.
  
• Quark Pharmaceuticals Inc.
  
• Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.
  
• Reneuron Group Plc
  
• Roche Holding Ag
  
• Sanofi
  
• Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.
  
• UCB Pharma S.A.
  
• Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
  
• VTV Therapeutics Inc.
  
• Zogenix Inc.