Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Concert Pharmaceuticals, Walter Reed partner on seizure treatment

By James Connolly

Concert Pharmaceuticals Inc. today announced that it has signed an agreement to work with the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research to conduct preclinical testing of a Concert drug compound in treating seizures stemming from traumatic brain injuries.

Walter Reed will work with Concert’s DCE platform, which is designed to improve key characteristics of drug molecules through selective replacement of hydrogen with deuterium, according to Lexington-based Concert.

Concert reported that it is also collaborating with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke’s Anticonvulsant Screening Program to evaluate anti-seizure activity in a series of deuterium-modified compounds. That effort is focused on preclinical testing of active drug compounds, through a series of in vivo and in vitro models, to define their potential as antiepileptic drugs.

In November, Concert was among a group of Massachusetts biotech companies to receive federal tax credits through the Therapeutic Discovery Tax Credit program that was established within the federal health reform law approved in March. Concert’s credits totaled $488,958.