Amgen, Synergen Inc., Genentech Inc preclinical data

The companies and their university collaborators reported in Nature that GDNF can spare dopamine neurons in animal models of Parkinson's disease, and appears to salvage motor neurons as well.

An accompanying editorial cautioned that the data should not be overplayed prior to clinical testing, citing as-yet unpublished findings that the factor rescues motor neurons in a mouse model of progressive neuropathy, but has no effect on the premature death of the mice. The editorial was written by Ronald Lindsay of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (REGN). ...