ThromboGenics and Geymonat Announce Euro 2 Million EU Grant for VASOPLUS Pro-Angiogenesis

17-Jan-2007

ThromboGenics NV and Geymonat SpA announced that the European Union has approved a Euro 2 million grant to the VASOPLUS consortium, a development programme for a new class of pro-angiogenesis agents. The funded research for VASOPLUS will be conducted within a consortium that will comprise ThromboGenics, Geymonat, Roche Diagnostics (Germany), Eurogentec S.A. (Belgium) and three expert academic groups - University of Leuven (cardiology Department) in Belgium, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche in Italy, and University of the Free State in South Africa.

The financial support, which will come from EU's Framework Programme 6, will contribute over the next two years to the further development of Placental Growth Factor (PlGF) and analogues of this pro-angiogenic cytokine for treatment of ischemic heart disease, peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD), tissue regeneration and wound healing.

The pro-angiogenic growth factor PlGF is a homologue of VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor). However, PlGF interacts with receptors in a manner which is different from VEGF. While VEGF has shown promise in the treatment of ischemic conditions, its therapeutic potential is hampered by dose-limiting side effects. Therefore, it is thought that PlGF, due to its more specific activity and targeted pro-angiogenic effect, may allow for an improved risk-benefit ratio, with fewer side effects than VEGF.

Toxicology and safety pharmacology studies have been completed both by ThromboGenics and Geymonat in a number of relevant in vivo models, and showed that PlGF is well tolerated even at doses much higher than needed for efficacy.

https://www.bionity.com/en/news/60850/thrombogenics-and-geymonat-announce-euro-2-million-eu-grant-for-vasoplus-pro-angiogenesis.html