Turing Pharmaceuticals AG, a privately-held biopharmaceutical company, announced a sponsored research agreement with the University of Toledo to discover and develop new treatments for Canavan disease.

TUR-007 is a preclinical drug candidate targeting pathological mechanisms associated with Canavan disease. Canavan is a neurological disorder that manifests in early infancy and is caused by an inherited genetic abnormality. This genetic aberration leads to a deterioration of myelin in the brain, thereby preventing proper transmission of nerve signals. Symptoms include intellectual disability and the inability to crawl, walk, sit or talk. Some patients suffer from paralysis, blindness and seizures with a life expectancy limited to early adolescence. There is currently no approved treatment.

Turing also initiated preclinical work in third quarter of 2015 at an industry-leading CRO to aid in the development of TUR-007.