Publication of a Phase 2 Study of NG101 for the Treatment of acute spinal cord injury
NovaGo Therapeutics AG, a clinical stage biotech company focused on advancing therapeutics for patients with spinal cord injury or diabetic retinopathy, today announced that its academic collaboration partners the Nogo-A Inhibition in Spinal Cord Injury Study Group (NISCI) published the results today for the investigation of NG101 in acute spinal cord injury patients in Lancet Neurology 1.
Novago’s founder and CSO Prof. Martin Schwab originally initiated the formation of the large multinational NISCI consortium (14 member institutions) in 2015 in collaboration with Prof. Armin Curt (Balgrist University Hospital in Zurich,) and Prof. Norbert Weidner (Heidelberg University Hospital). It was financed by EU’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program, the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SBFI), the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation, the Wings for Life private research foundation, the “CeNeReg” project from the Wyss Zurich (University of Zurich and ETH Zurich) and the “International Research in Paraplegia” foundation.
The NISCI phase 2 study evaluated the efficacy and safety of an anti-Nogo-A antibody in 129 acute spinal cord injury patients in a multicenter and multi country placebo controlled clinical trial (NCT03935321).
The anti-Nogo-A antibody NG101 blocks and neutralizes the Nogo-A protein. Numerous international studies in animal models have demonstrated that the Nogo-A protein inhibits the regeneration of damaged nerve fibers in the spinal cord following acute injury. This antibody aims to mitigate these inhibitory mechanisms, thereby facilitating the regeneration of injured nerve tracts and promoting spinal cord recovery.
“We are excited to see early signs of disease modifying effects for the treatment of acute spinal cord injuries and applaud the team for their remarkable achievements.” said Stefan Moese, CEO of Novago. “The NISCI Phase 2a study is the first of its kind designed to demonstrate that anti-Nogo-A treatment can enhance the quality of life for patients with acute spinal cord injuries. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the NISCI team, the clinical investigators, and the study participants for their invaluable contributions and unwavering commitment to this program,” said Prof. Martin Schwab, CSO of Novago and initiator of the NISCI consortium.
Novago started the clinical development of a new and improved anti-Nogo-A antibody NG004, more details will follow soon.
1 Weidner, N. et al. Safety and efficacy of intrathecal antibodies to Nogo-A in patients with acute cervical spinal cord injury: a randomised, double-blind, multicentre, placebo-controlled, phase 2b trial. The Lancet Neurology 24, 42–53 (2025).