Cangene Corporation, a Canadian biopharmaceutical company, signed a collaborative research agreement with the University of British Columbia to develop the work of Dr. Neil Cashman. Cashman is the Scientific Director of PrioNet Canada, a company that develops strategies to cure prion diseases in humans and animals. Cashman’s present work is aimed at developing immune-based therapies for Alzheimer’s disease. “Our partnership with Cangene will now help move this technology forward,” says Cashman.
Cangene became interested in the program following a recent discovery in which Cashman and his research team specifically targeted a unique shape of amyloid beta oligomers while sparing normal amyloid beta molecules. Cashman says being able to preserve the normal molecules provides the basis for a safe immunotherapy infusion. “This approach has already been tested in the laboratory on cultured nerve cells with successful results,” says Cashman.
