ElMindA and Purdue Pharma L.P. Enter Research Agreement to Develop Novel Diagnostics to Improve Pain Management

HERZLIYA, Israel and STAMFORD, Conn., Jan. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- ElMindA – the developer of an innovative technology capable of providing drug developers with superior insights into the effect of therapeutic interventions on brain function – has entered into a strategic, multi-year research collaboration agreement with Purdue Pharma L.P., a leading developer of pharmacologic therapies to treat and manage pain.

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The staged research collaboration will focus on pain diagnosis and management, through the development of objective assessments of analgesia as well as other subjective responses to treatment, and include several projects aimed at the discovery and development of new clinical diagnostic tests and biomarkers to manage pain and to enable the development of more effective pain treatments.

"We are extremely pleased to enter into this collaboration with Purdue Pharma that will apply our advanced Brain Networks Activation (BNA™) technology to research efforts for the development of better diagnostic tools and biomarkers for pain management," said Ronen Gadot, CEO of ElMindA. "Partnering with Purdue Pharma is another significant step forward for ElMindA, marking an expansion of the company's collaborations with pharma companies and the addition of pain management to the Company's portfolio of therapeutic focus."

ElMindA's BNA™ technology combines the most advanced brain imaging tools with ElMindA's proprietary algorithms and signal processing to produce unparalleled detail and precision of brain functional mapping.  In the area of drug development, the BNA™ technology can shed light on the dynamic functional changes in brain networks pre- and post-drug administration to reveal mechanisms of action, optimize drug dosages and identify responders and non-responders to therapies early in the drug development process.

As part of an expanding R&D innovation strategy, Purdue is broadening the scope of its research collaborations beyond drug discovery and development in order to identify opportunities that can enhance the overall quality of pain management. Purdue scientists are evaluating potential mapping systems to objectively assess pain, new applications and technologies for pain management, new technologies for controlling drug release, and methods to assess treatment compliance.

"We are very excited about this collaboration and look forward to leveraging ElMindA's BNA™ technology in a combined effort to enhance the diagnosis, treatment and management of pain. This collaboration is another important effort towards advancing care for pain patients and further demonstrates Purdue's commitment as a leader in the field of pain management," said Dr. Craig Landau, Chief Medical Officer for Purdue.   

Clinical diagnostic tests to improve pain management and biomarkers for drug development resulting from the collaboration will be used and commercialized by ElMindA and/or Purdue.  

About ElMindA:  ElMindA was founded in 2006 with the vision of revolutionizing the management of brain disorders and injuries by transforming state-of-the-art neuroscience into bed-side clinical practice, opening a new window into functionality of the brain.  The company seeks to dramatically improve clinical decision-making for Central Nervous System (CNS) disease management through wide utilization of its BNA™ testing as an objective measurement of brain function, dysfunction, disease progression and recovery. The ElMindA BNA™ technology is currently being used for drug development research with leading pharmaceutical companies and in research with prominent academic research centers throughout the U.S. and Europe.   In 2012, ElMindA submitted the technology for FDA clearance. The technology is not currently cleared for clinical use. 

About Purdue Pharma L.P:  Purdue Pharma and its associated U.S. companies are privately-held pharmaceutical companies known for pioneering research on persistent pain. Headquartered in Stamford, CT, Purdue Pharma is engaged in the research, development, production, and distribution of both prescription and over-the-counter medicine and hospital products. Additional information about Purdue can be found at www.purduepharma.com.

SOURCE Purdue Pharma L.P.