The Neuropharmacology Laboratory (Neurophar) of the Department of Experimental and Health Sciences (CEXS) of UPF, directed by professor Rafael Maldonado, is participating in the NEOGENIUS PHARMA project financed by the CDTI (Center for Technological and Industrial Development) in the 2009 call of the CENIT programme

The project is led by the Catalan pharmaceutical companies Almirall, S.A; Laboratorios Dr. Esteve, S.A; Palau Pharma, S.A and the Basque biotechnology company Proteomika, S.L., which form the consortium NEOGENIUS PHARMA, AIE. The total budget is 21,548,378 euros and Neurophar’s of which share is 560,000 euros.

A project for discov ering the best drugs against degenerative osteoarthritis

The Neogenius Pharma project will concentrate its efforts on discovering drugs for fighting against degenerative osteoarthritis. It has two main objectives; first, the symptomatic treatment of chronic pain related to degenerative osteoarthritis and second, the identification of biomarkers linked with pain.

This is the first collaborative project on this scale between three pharmaceutical companies that also involves the collaboration of 14 external centres, including Neurophar. The laboratory’s contribution involves providing sophisticated animal models for the study of chronic pain, which will enable improved assessment of the effectiveness of the drugs studied in relieving pain.

35% of people aged over 65 years old are affected by degenerative osteoarthritis .

Degenerative Osteoarthritis affects almost five million people in Spain. In those aged over twenty years old, symptomatic knee arthrosis is found among 10.2 percent of Spaniards and hand arthrosis in 6.2 per cent. However, in those aged over 65 years old, this prevalence increases to 35 per cent. This is a consequence of the degeneration of the cartilage surrounding the bones in the joints. There is at present no effective treatment for chronic pain, especially of neuropathic origin or if caused by degenerative osteoarthritis.

The main aim of the CENIT programme is to finance large-scale, broad-based strategic industrial research projects in technological areas of the future with potential international prominence. Of the 49 projects presented to the call, only 18 were approved, three of which are being undertaken in UPF associated centres. Participation by business increased in this call. 251 businesses are involved in the approved projects, of which 51% are small or medium enterprises.