Corvas International has licensed development and marketing rights toneutrophil inhibitor factor (NIF) for the potential treatment of ischemic stroke to Pfizer. If a product is marketed based on the license, Corvas could receive up to $29 million in funding from Pfizer.
NIF is a compound derived from hookworms, and is thought to contribute to the parasites' evasion of host immune defenses by inhibiting the activities of neutrophils. In ischemic stroke, it is hoped that NIF will interfere with damage to the ischemic area of the brain following the re-establishment of blood flow. Neutrophil infiltration and an exaggerated protective response is a hallmark of this type of reperfusion injury.
NIF has achieved a 40%-50% reduction in neutrophil infiltration in animal models of stroke. Unlike thrombolysis with t-PA, the only approved treatment for the condition, NIF targets the underlying inflammatory mechanism which contributes greatly to the spread of tissue damage.
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