Startup Company Profile
Cortex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
|
15231 Barranca Parkway |
Employees: 24 |
||||||
|
Faculty Inventors:
|
|||||||
In 1993, Cortex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., headquartered in Irvine, California, entered an agreement with the Regents of the University of California, under which Cortex secured exclusive commercial rights to AMPA receptor-modulating technology and compounds (the AMPAKINE® technology) for the treatment of deficits of memory and cognition. These compounds can potentially be used to treat early childhood disorders such as autism, fragile X syndrome, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and age-associated memory impairment and Alzheimer’s disease in older populations. They also may be effective in psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. In total, the markets that these compounds could address constitute a $35 billion segment of the pharmaceutical market—a market growing at the rate of 17% per year. Positive clinical results have been obtained in several trials in humans. To date, a compound from Cortex, CX516, has been shown to positively effect the outcomes of patients being treated for agerelated memory impairment, Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. Additionally, two other compounds are under clinical evaluation by licensees of Cortex (Organon, NV and Les Laboratoires Servier) for schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease. Hence, at least three compounds have made the transition from the laboratory to human clinical trials, and proof of principle for these therapies has been established. The business strategy for Cortex is to develop internally products that lend themselves to "Orphan Drug" indication, which allow for shorter development times and marketing to a narrower group of customers. At the same time, the products that target large market segments will be part of an out-licensing strategy because they require huge investments in clinical development and broad market reach by the seller. With this approach, Cortex can continue to lead the way in developing these revolutionary therapies. In the process, these therapies may bring relief to millions of people who suffer from diseases that currently are among the most difficult to treat.
