Neuraptive Therapeutics, Inc. (Neuraptive), a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to developing novel therapeutics and medical products to address the unmet needs in the treatment of peripheral nerve injuries (PNI), today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared Neuraptive's Investigational New Drug (IND) application for NTX-001 in patients with acute single transected PNI.

"We are pleased to have received clearance for the company’s first IND, and are excited to initiate the trial later this year," said Evan Tzanis, Executive Vice President and Head of Research and Development. "We look forward to working with investigators as we advance Neuraptive’s NTX-001 into the clinic for the treatment of peripheral nerve injuries."

Peripheral nerve injuries resulting in surgeries are common, occurring in more than 600,000 patients annually in the United States, with approximately 80% of nerve injuries occur in the upper extremities. Neuraptive’s Phase 2 study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of NTX-001 versus the current standard of care in upper extremity injuries. NTX-001 is being developed in the U.S. via the FDA 505 (b) (2) development pathway, in which the components contained in the product are present in existing, approved drug products, allowing for the potential of a more streamlined development program.

"Current interventions do not prevent the irreversible degeneration that occurs within 48 to 72 hours following injury. We believe that NTX-001 has the potential to diminish or prevent this degenerative process so that nerves recover more quickly, and patients can avoid disabilities that commonly result from these types of nerve injuries," said Ivan Gergel, MD, Executive Chairman of the Board of Neuraptive. "We are hopeful that NTX-001 can be a revolutionary treatment for physicians to offer their patients undergoing PNI repairs."

Neuraptive is creating innovative novel therapies for nerve repairs to improve clinical outcomes for patients and surgeons who care for them. The company's franchise therapeutic product, NTX-001, has the potential to improve the quality and speed of recovery of nerve sensation and function for eligible patients who have sustained traumatic injuries or who are undergoing reconstructive surgical procedures. Neuraptive is rapidly advancing its pipeline and will leverage its capabilities to transition into a clinical-stage company. Investors include New Rhein Healthcare Investors through its Fund 18 and Ben Franklin Technology Partners. The company is headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, and has offices near Boulder, CO, as well as surgical translational medical facilities at the Colorado University Anschutz Medical Center in Aurora, CO.