Neurology

Mouse studies suggest FGF21 could help treat spinal cord damage associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and multiple sclerosis. In postmortem tissue samples from MS patients, levels of the FGF21 signaling marker klotho β (KLB) were higher in oligodendrocyte precursor cells from the spinal cord than from the corresponding postmortem tissue samples from unaffected subjects. In a mouse model of toxin-induced spinal cord demyelination, intrathecal infusion of FGF21 increased remyelination of the spinal cord compared with no treatment. In a mouse model of TBI, intracerebroventricular infusion of FGF21 increased proliferation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells and remyelination in the corpus callosum compared with vehicle. Next steps include testing FGF21 in animal models of MS.

Ambrx Inc. and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. have ARX618 (BMS-986036; FGF21; PEG-FGF21), a pegylated analog of human FGF21, in Phase II testing to treat Type II diabetes, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrotic diseases...