Protection Against ALS Damage Using Anti-Inflammation Properties of Masitinib

AB Science is a pharmaceutical company that deals in research, development and marketing of protein kinase inhibitors (PKIs). According to researchers’ conclusions, the company’s Masitinib as an anti-inflammatory treatment possesses a protective effect on the nerves and muscles from destruction by Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. This mechanistic data was presented by Prof. Luis Barbeito at the International Symposium on ALS/MND (Motor Neuron Disease) in Ireland toward the end of last year.

In its composition, Masitinib is an oral treatment that inhibits proteins known as tyrosine kinases that play a significant role within the cells. By hindering the activation of these proteins, it can aid in fighting cancers, inflammatory diseases and disorders of the central nervous system. This is based on its distinct mechanism of action. Research that has been undertaken shows that Masitinib is responsible for alleviating inflammation in the immune-system cells, for instance, mast cells and microglia that can enhance the occurrence of ALS.

Speaking at a press release, Barbeito, said that over and above the results that were recently published, they team obtained extra preclinical data that indicated the neuroprotective effects of Masitinib in ALS.
There was undeniable evidence that Masitinib generates its observed neuroprotective effect in ALS by controlling neuroinflammation in the peripheral nervous system. This is the part of the nervous system responsible for regulation of muscles. The control of neuroinflammation by the treatment extends to the central nervous system. In addition, it goes through the blood-brain barrier to a greater extent contrary to assumptions made prior. In general, the data suggests greater compelling pharmacological rationale for the recently presented report on positive Phase 3 provisional analysis.

In a past study of adult post-paralytic rats carrying a genetic mutation that leads to development of ALS, it was demonstrated that Masitinib inhibited microglia and extended the lives of animals that developed the paralysis linked to ALS.
Concurrently, provisional data from a Phase 2/3 trial indicated that Masitinib and the ALS treatment Riluzole were able to enhance patients’ quality of life and their chances at survival. The researchers made use of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS). This scale can be employed in measurement of progression of the disability, monitoring quality of life and survival and assessment of patients who had been administered with treatment for 12 months.
The overall positive effect of Masitinib on the functional score ALSFRS-R, which is a rating instrument for monitoring the progression of disability in patients with ALS and which correlates significantly with quality of life and survival.
In addition, Masitinib has been seen to generate protective effects in the sciatic nerve when it was observed to delay Motor Neuron Degeneration in this nerve and alleviating pathological changes in the same. Mastinib also generated protective effects are the neuromuscular junction where the nerve fibres are able to transmit signals to the muscle fibre leading to muscle contraction. On different note, Masitinib was granted Orphan Drug status recently by the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA’s) Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products.