Nyrada Inc. provided an update on the progress of its Brain Injury Program. Last year, Nyrada announced a 3-way collaboration with UNSW Sydney and the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) to evaluate the efficacy of its brain injury drug candidate in two preclinical models of traumatic brain injury (TBI): Controlled Cortical Impact (CCI) and Penetrating Ballistic Brain Injury (PBBI). These models represent two different modes of injury, one as a direct head trauma (CCI) and the other mimicking a bullet or shrapnel wound (PBBI), reflecting serious head injury relevant to active military service members.

In the lead-up to the efficacy study with Nyrada's brain injury drug candidate, a pilot study is being conducted to optimise the design of the efficacy study. Brain samples from the CCI and PBBI models have been collected from WRAIR and are currently undergoing assessment at the Translational Neuroscience Facility of UNSW, utilising their sophisticated MRI technology (T2-weighted and Fractional Anisotropy MRI) to establish the nature and extent of injury. This reflects brain imaging technology used in hospital emergency rooms. A key focus of this pilot study is to refine the location and extent of injury in each model and select optimal timepoints to assess a therapeutic effect of Nyrada's drug in preventing secondary brain injury.

This data will allow the Company to ascertain the number of animals that will be required to provide a meaningful assessment of the therapeutic effect of Nyrada's drug. Professor Gary Housley, Chair of the Nyrada Scientific Advisory Board, and research head of the UNSW Translational Neuroscience Facility, reports that the imaging of the brain injury models provided to UNSW by the WRAIR Brain Trauma Neuroprotection team are providing key data for powering the Nyrada brain injury rescue drug study. The Company will provide further updates on the progress of this study as data becomes available.