#BIOSPAIN2023Interview | "Prevention, management, and treatment of neurological diseases are far from satisfactory"

Hundreds of millions of people worldwide suffer from neurological disorders. These are defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as "diseases of the central and peripheral nervous systems", meaning the brain, spinal cord, cranial and peripheral nerves, nerve roots, autonomic nervous system, neuromuscular junction, and muscles.

The most recent figures released by the WHO reveal that neurological diseases are the leading cause of years of life lost due to disability, and the second leading cause of death worldwide, with nine million deaths per year. The international health organization of the UN denounces that neurological diseases generate numerous costs for governments, families, and individuals, and are a significant cause of productivity loss.

The data presented in this photograph highlights the need to invest in the prevention, management, and treatment of neurological diseases. Today, specifically, we focus on spinal cord injuries.

Between 250,000 and 500,000 people worldwide suffer from spinal cord injuries each year. Spinal cord injuries refer to damage that occurs in the spinal cord as a result of trauma, disease, or degeneration. Although the WHO does not have reliable figures on their global prevalence, it estimates that their annual incidence ranges from 40 to 80 cases per million inhabitants.

To analyze the complex challenges posed by neurological diseases and, more specifically, spinal cord injuries, we interviewed Antonio Oliviero, chief medical officer of Neurofix, a Spanish biotechnology company that develops a drug to alleviate the pain suffered by people with spinal cord injuries and improve their quality of life, and Bronze Sponsor of BIOSPAIN 2023.

AseBio: What are the main shortcomings that neurological diseases currently face in terms of prevention, management, and treatment?

Antonio Oliviero: In recent decades, neurological diseases have experienced significant advancements. However, their prevention, management, and treatment are far from satisfactory.

AseBio: When it comes to research, what are the main challenges?

Antonio Oliviero: The main challenges largely stem from an incomplete understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of diseases. This hinders effective prevention and treatment.

We have made significant progress in understanding some diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, which has allowed us to develop multiple treatment strategies. In other diseases, we have developed excellent symptomatic treatments (for example, Parkinson's disease). However, for many others, we haven't found the keys to develop disease-modifying treatments and/or satisfactory symptomatic treatments.

AseBio: In the case of spinal cord injuries, what is the current state of global research in terms of management and treatment?

Antonio Oliviero: There is a lot of research that envisions a better future for our patients. There are treatments in trial phases aiming to reduce the damage caused by a spinal cord injury, while other treatments seek to utilize robotic technology or stimulators to improve certain symptoms of the spinal cord injury (for example, improving gait).

AseBio: The pain associated with spinal cord injuries is one of the main adverse effects related to this type of injury. What options do patients have currently?

Antonio Oliviero: Neuropathic pain is very common in spinal cord injuries, and patients have a multitude of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments available. Unfortunately, in a significant number of cases, these treatments either do not work or their adverse effects are excessive, limiting the benefit to the patient.

AseBio: Neurofix is working on the development of NFX88, a drug aimed at alleviating the pain in individuals suffering from spinal cord injuries and improving their quality of life. How challenging has it been to develop a drug against neuropathic pain in patients with spinal cord injuries?

Antonio Oliviero: The challenge is to find a drug that acts on the mechanisms generating the pain, and this is complex. However, our molecule seems to have two mechanisms that synergistically act on neuropathic pain caused by spinal cord injuries.

AseBio: At what stage is the drug currently? What results have you achieved to date?

Antonio Oliviero: The drug has successfully completed phase 2, demonstrating an excellent safety and tolerability profile. Additionally, in this phase, we have been able to determine the best dosage for designing future studies.

Regarding efficacy, we have observed a reduction in pain starting from the second month of treatment and a suitable number of responders. Currently, we are in the preparation phase for phases 2b/3 and working on the new application to obtain "orphan drug" designation for the treatment.

AseBio: As a biotechnology company, what does participating in an event like BIOSPAIN 2023 mean for you?

Antonio Oliviero: Our attendance at BIOSPAIN 2023 is a significant showcase as it allows us to display the exact status of the company in terms of clinical development and strategic progress, as well as to organize meaningful meetings with partners. It is a remarkable meeting point where we can gather many of our collaborators and further project Neurofix's initiatives.

It is a highly interesting forum for connecting with new investors, seeking pharmaceutical companies with the potential to license our product, and establishing contact with scientific collaborators to accelerate the development of our pipeline.