News Ankar Pharma Opens Crowdfunding for Promising MS Drug Ankar Pharma Opens Crowdfunding for Promising MS Drug by Patricia Silva, PhD | October 14, 2014 Share this article: Share article via email Copy article link Spanish-Filipino biopharmaceutical startupĀ Ankar PharmaĀ is working on a promising treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS). Dr. Ana Martinez, a professor and researcher at theĀ Biological Research Center (CIB) of the Spanish National Council for Research (CSIC), explains that while there are several palliative treatments available on the market for MS, research and development should focus more on curative solutions to this debilitating disease. The company’s leading pipeline product for MS,Ā AP-1, is still in preclinical development but has already shown promising results. It has been noted to reduce the severity of clinical symptoms both in preventive treatment and in administration to a full-blown MS case. It has effective anti-inflammatory properties, can prevent oligodendrocyte damage and death, stimulate remyelinization, and can be administered orally. Knowing the process for drug approval takes a decade to complete on average, Dr. Martinez founded the company to help speed up the drug development process and make reliable solutions available to MS patients sooner. Ankar Pharma works closely with several investors from Spain and the Philippines, and is headed by Jose Maria Olbes as Vice President of Business Development, and Jose D. Leviste as general counselor, to help grow the Philippines as a center for biotech research. [adrotate group=”4″] Ankar Pharma has just opened a crowdfunding initiative for the progression of AP-1 towards clinical trials. In other MS news, treatments for relapsing-remitting MS,Ā fingolimod (Gilenya) and natalizumab (Tysabri), will be funded by the New ZealandĀ Pharmaceutical Management Agency (PHARMAC) starting November 1, 2014. Print This Page About the Author Patricia Silva, PhD PatrĆcia holds a PhD in medical microbiology and infectious diseases from the Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands, and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Lisbon, Portugal. Her work in academia was mainly focused on molecular biology and the genetic traits of infectious agents such as viruses and parasites. PatrĆcia earned several travel awards to present her work at international scientific meetings. She is a published author of several peer-reviewed science articles. Tags multiple sclerosis
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