A novel collaboration, forged by Nebraska scientists, farmers and business leaders, has led to the establishment of a start-up company, NeuralRegen, that aims to halt the progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, an effort the team calls one of the most pressing needs in neuroscience research.
The team, led by Howard Gendelman, MD, created both nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals to halt the signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. The study, published today in the highly cited journal Theranostics, highlights the notable medicinal properties of colostrum and its extracellular vesicles (C-EVs). The research goals were realized by a team of Nebraska scientists and farmers to create a “farm to pharmacy” medicine pipeline to improve clinical outcomes.
Colostrum contains a significantly higher and effective concentration of EVs than seen in most body fluids that include mature milk. This makes it a particularly rich source of cell and tissue regenerative factors, Dr. Gendelman said. C-EVs contain a robust lipid bilayer membrane and are stabilized by vital body nutrients, allowing them to withstand harsh conditions, including an acidic stomach environment and temperature fluctuations.
The report by the research team shows that a therapeutic cargo delivered by C-EVs has the potential to ameliorate disease in well-established animal and laboratory models.
This study grew from a collaboration between the Nebraska researcher and Oehlerking Farm of Elmwood, Nebraska. The research was supported by Joel Alperson and Carol Swarts, MD, Omaha business and philanthropic leaders who teamed with the farmers and researchers to create NeuralRegen, a newly minted biotechnology company. Its mission is to produce C-EVs as cell-based delivery systems for pharmaceutical interventions.
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s affected both the Alperson and Swarts families. Both watched close-knit family members deteriorate over a short period. Dr. Swarts called neurodegenerative diseases the “curse” of her family, while Alperson, chief business office of NeuralRegen, described them as “incredibly cruel.”
“The notion that this pharmaceutical could not only stop the progress of Parkinson’s, but actually reverse some of the damage of Parkinson’s, is exciting, and it’s exciting that it’s happening in the state of Nebraska,” Alperson said.
He said that the company, based in Omaha, is currently focused on research development and, eventually, the production of C-EVs for human use – something Dr. Gendelman estimates is six months away.
John Oehlerking, owner of Oehlerking Farm in Elmwood, Nebraska said Dr. Gendelman first approached him and his family to join the research effort through the supply and characterization of the colostrum. The work quickly evolved into a strong bond of friendship and collaboration and into business plan.
“We had a conference around our kitchen table,” Oehlerking said. “He proposed what he wanted to do, and it sounded spectacular.”
Oehlerking, who has had family and friends touched by Parkinson’s, had cows calving and was happy to capture some colostrum and provide it for research.
The research effort and the company grew out of personal friendships between the UNMC research team and members of the farming community in Nebraska, Dr. Gendelman said.
“Working together, we set up standards for experimentation, product development and ultimately a startup business,” he said.
Dr. Swarts, an internationally recognized physician and a medical graduate of UNMC when female graduates were few, as well as a long-time supporter of the medical center, called the farm-university-business partnership an exciting step in developing a viable degenerative brain disease treatment.
“The disease affects everybody. Why not involve everyone in the solution?” she said.