NLS Pharma Acquires A Portfolio of Strategic Patents

ADHD is considered by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as one of the most frequently monitored developmental syndromes worldwide. In the US, 11% of children 4-17 years of age (6.4 million) have been diagnosed with ADHD as of 2011, and regarded by Time magazine as the icon disability of the digital age. ADHD is still far from being well-addressed.

Currently, first line treatments for ADHD mainly rely on the use of psychostimulants such as methylphenidates and amphetamines, along with the non-amphetamine-like stimulant modafinil. Certain adverse events have often been observed when using these types of products, impacting patients’ everyday life, suggesting that better options for all patients are needed.

The patent acquisition, from a leading French healthcare institution, allows NLS Pharma’s work towards a potential novel therapy in ADHD to reach a key milestone. The IP portfolio acquired in this transaction includes mazindol, a non-amphetaminic psychostimulant. NLS Pharma already participated in a Pre-Investigational New Drug ("Pre-IND") meeting concerning mazindol with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on November 3, 2015.

Alex Zwyer, CEO of NLS Pharma, commented: “The IND is expected to be opened in the first quarter of 2016 and all traffic lights are now green for the next phase of development. Already published clinical open-label data suggest that mazindol might be an effective, well-tolerated, and long-acting agent for the treatment of ADHD in children. This is promising evidence which has us optimistic about the future developments of this potential new treatment. We are looking forward to our next step: the upcoming launch of mazindol’s Phase IIB clinical trial and are excited to be involved in bringing new types of treatments to ADHD patients.”

Supported by a worldwide network of opinion leaders and academic institutions, relying on a team of experienced industry development experts and well-recognized pharmaceutical leaders, NLS Pharma has been created to fulfil medical needs of patients with neurobehavioral and neurocognitive disorders, where there is unmet medical need.

About NLS Pharma
NLS is a Swiss based biotech group focusing on the repurposing of established and (cost-) effective drug/chemical compounds to treat Attention Deficit/HyperActivity Disorder (ADHD), sleep disorders and cognitive impairment.

NLS develops innovative therapeutic solutions and prioritizes its work based on unmet medical needs, strong scientific understanding of neurobehavioral and neurocognitive disorders and their pharmacognosia.

NLS is a fully private owned enterprise managed by a top level team of experts who have proven their value and experience with Big Pharmas. They work closely with renowned AD-HD and sleep related disorders opinion leaders.

Series-A financing was successfully completed for $ 8.5 million on August 31, 2015, to secure proof of concept of the clinical development of mazindol in ADHD.

About ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a group of behavioural symptoms that include inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.

The worldwide prevalence, for those under the age of 18, is estimated to be 5.3% to 12% (American Journal of Psychiatry 2007). In the USA, approximately 6.4 million people under the age of 18 have been diagnosed with ADHD at some point in their lives. It is estimated that well over 10 million adults in the USA have ADHD (Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 01/2014).

ADHD Treatment market value is expected to rise with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.3%. ADHD therapeutics market value will rise from $ 6.9 billion in 2013 to $ 9.9 billion by 2O2O. (GBI Research 08/2014).

 (Press release)

image: Brian Jackson / Fotolia.com