Living Cell Technologies moves closer to third clinical trial of NTCELL for Parkinson’s disease
Living Cell Technologies (ASX: LCT) has released a market update on its planned NTCELL clinical trial program for Parkinson’s disease.
The company has confirmed that contractor NZeno has finalised all agreed aspects of a dedicated pig herd and surgical facility at NZeno’s site in New Zealand.
The facilities have been built exclusively for Living Cell and allow the company to maintain and manage its own source of designated pathogen-free (DPF) pigs needed to manufacture NTCELL for use in the third clinical trial.
The choroid plexus tissue used in the previous two clinical trials of NTCELL (in 2012 and 2015) were also obtained from pigs in this herd.
Living Cell engaged NZeno in 2021 to breed and maintain pigs to provide porcine choroid plexus tissue for the manufacture of NTCELL for the third clinical trial in patients with Parkinson’s disease.
NZeno maintains the only herd derived from DPF pigs found on New Zealand’s sub-Antarctic Auckland Islands.
Scientific review
Living Cell has initiated a scientific review of the NTCELL clinical trial protocol and development plan to assess recommendations proposed by internationally-recognised clinician scientist and Parkinson’s disease expert Professor Carolyn Sue to improve the drug’s therapeutic value.
Professor Sue is leading the review and the company has engaged the help of a multi-disciplined panel of experts to advise on aspects of the NTCELL project.
During the review period, Living Cell has paused maintenance of the porcine herd to minimise unnecessary ongoing costs while the choroid plexus tissue is not required.
The herd will be built up again next year prior to Living Cell engaging clinical trial partners.
Manufacture of NTCELL for the third clinical trial will start following the scientific review.
Advisory board
LCT has appointed a scientific advisory board to provide ongoing advice for the development of the NTCELL project.
The board comprises neuroscientist and research neuropathologist Professor Glenda Halliday from The University of Sydney; Molecular and (Stem) Cell Biologist Professor Robert Kapsa (RMIT University); co-founder and director of consulting business Scimita Ventures Professor Ali Abbas (The University of Sydney); healthcare (pharmaceuticals and devices) and biotechnology expert Associate Professor Tina Soulis of Alithia Life Sciences; and Associate Professor Thomas Kimber (The Royal Adelaide Hospital and University of Adelaide).