Neuralstem, a biopharmaceutical company developing novel treatments for nervous system diseases, has announced that it has been awarded a phase 2 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of up to $997,068 over two years to conduct preclinical research to evaluate the potential of NSI-189, a novel small molecule compound, for the prevention and treatment of diabetic neuropathy.

The research funded by this award will build on a previous study performed in collaboration with Drs. Corinne Jolivalt’s and Nigel Calcutt’s groups at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), that demonstrated NSI-189 could prevent and/or reverse peripheral neuropathy in mouse models for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. NSI-189 was shown to significantly protect motor and sensory nerve function in mice with Type 1 diabetes when given from onset of disease, and improve nerve function when given 2 months after disease onset. Similarly, NSI-189 protected motor and sensory nerve function in a genetic model of Type 2 diabetes (db/db mouse).

“We look forward to continuing these important studies with UCSD to better understand the potential of NSI-189 in treating diabetic neuropathy,” said Rich Daly, chairman and CEO, Neuralstem.  “Diabetic neuropathy is a chronic and debilitating disease that remains an unmet medical need, and we appreciate the NIH’s recognition of the importance of this research.”

“The initial data obtained from our preclinical study with Neuralstem’s compound showed improvement in almost all indices of peripheral neuropathy.  This is rather unique, and we look forward to testing NSI-189 in greater depth with this funding,” said Dr. Corinne Jolivalt, the lead collaborator at UCSD where the animal study will take place and with whom the grant money will be shared.