Recombinant human CNTF

NT-501 is an ECT-CNTF product that consists of encapsulated cells that secrete recombinant human CNTF. After implantation, CNTF is released from the cells constitutively into the vitreous gel. The NT-501 implant is manufactured to be sterile, nonpyrogenic, and retrievable. The current implant or capsule is about 1.1 cm in length (including titanium loop) and will be placed well outside the visual axis in the human eye. This same implant and implant size has been used in preclinical toxicity and efficacy evaluation studies in dogs, pigs, and rabbits. The therapeutic intent of intraocular CNTF delivery is to reduce or arrest the progressive loss of photoreceptors, which is characteristic of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and related retinopathies. 

Ciliary neurotrophic factor 3 Recombinant human CNTF in humans... 

ALS CNTF Treatment Study Group (1996) A double blind placebo controlled clinical trial of subcutaneous recombinant human ciliary neuroti ophic factor (rHCNTF) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neru ology 46(5) 1244—1249. 

Cedarbaum JM, Chapman C, Charatan M, et al. The pharmacokinetics of subcutaneously administered recombinant human ciliary neurotrophic factor (rHCNTF) in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis relation to parameters of the acute-phase response. The ALS CNTF treatment study (ACTS) phase I II study group. Clin Neuro-pharmacol 1995 18 500-514. 

P.C., Schroder, J.M. and Weis, J. (1995) Site-directed mutagenesis of human CNTF functional analysis of recombinant variants. J. Neurosci. Res. 40 826-835. 

---