Studies show that fullerene-based antioxidants make excellent neuroprotectants, and they have demonstrated good efficacy in models for a wide array of oxidative neurological disorders including arnyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease and brain injury resulting from ischemic stroke. These results suggest that neuroprotective pharmaceuticals are one of the most unique, yet important and commercially viable applications of fullerenes to date. Although it shows great promise as a neuroprotectant drug useful in treating ailments such as ALS and Parkinson's disease for which better treatments are desperately needed, the derivatized fullerene compounds are currently too expensive and cannot be produced in sufficient quantities for clinical testing or to treat patients. During Phase I, we developed several new techniques that allow efficient production of a carboxyfullerene pharmaceutical compound. With continued development, we anticipate that by the completion of the project, it will be possible to economically manufacture enough of the fullerene- based neuroprotectant for clinical trials to begin.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Small Business Innovation Research Grants (SBIR) - Phase II (R44)
Project #
2R44NS038000-02A2
Application #
6550613
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-SSS-Q (10))
Program Officer
Conwit, Robin
Project Start
1998-08-01
Project End
2004-08-31
Budget Start
2002-09-30
Budget End
2003-08-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2002
Total Cost
$430,662
Indirect Cost
Name
Tda Research, Inc.
Department
Type
DUNS #
181947730
City
Wheat Ridge
State
CO
Country
United States
Zip Code
80033