NeuroTrauma Sciences and Henry Ford join hands to advance exosome technology

NeuroTrauma Sciences, LLC (NTS), a biopharmaceutical company, and Henry Ford Health System, a non-profit organization, today announce that a newly-formed subsidiary of NTS has entered into multi-year Sponsored Research and License Agreements. The new company is named NeurExo Sciences, LLC (NXS) and its goal is to advance Henry Ford's pioneering technology involving exosomes as extracellular vesicles enriched with microRNA for the purpose of treating stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI) including concussion, and neuropathies.

Under the Agreements, NXS will license methods and intellectual property (IP) from Henry Ford and fund exosome research projects headed by principal investigator Michael Chopp, Ph.D., Vice Chairman, Department of Neurology, Scientific Director, Neurosciences Institute, at Henry Ford Hospital. NXS will gain worldwide commercial rights to product candidates resulting from the IP and sponsored research coming out of the lab.

Dr. Chopp and his research team have generated proof-of-principle data in a number of small and large animal models showing how exosomes can amplify the body's own neurological repair mechanisms and potentially improve long-term neurological outcomes following brain injury, such as stroke or TBI, and neurodegenerative diseases (link to Dr. Chopp's research here).

"Our studies in multiple pre-clinical models indicate that exosomes have the potential to provide significant therapeutic benefits to enhance the recovery from stroke or traumatic brain injury, and potentially with a better safety profile and greater efficacy than their parent or progenitor cells," said Dr. Chopp. "Success of this novel approach may lead to a shift in the treatment paradigm for TBI, stroke and neurological disease."

"We are delighted to collaborate with Dr. Chopp and his research team to advance the next generation of cell-based therapies," said Carl Long, NeuroTrauma Sciences and NeurExo Sciences Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer. "We believe that exosome technology has the potential to serve as a transformational platform for multiple neurological conditions - including stroke, concussion and other traumatic brain injuries - and NeuroTrauma Sciences is excited to be a part of it."

"Henry Ford researchers are pioneers in the exosome field and the NeuroTrauma Sciences team recognized the tremendous potential of our technology and world leading scientists," said Mark Coticchia, Vice President & Chief Innovation Officer of Henry Ford Health System. "We appreciate their support in pursing the development of this cutting-edge technology with these Agreements, and their commitment to investing in the broader Detroit scientific community with the formation of this new company."