Bone Biologics Signs With UCLA for Nell-1

Bone Biologics Corporation, a company focused on regenerative medicine, has signed an option agreement with the University of California, Los Angeles, to exclusively license the use of the bone growth factor Nell-1 for the treatment of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis, the severe loss of bone mass, is currently treated with drugs that inhibit the osteoclasts. Nell-1, according to its supporters, works by inducing the osteoblasts.

Bone Biologics is funding the development of a Nell-1-based product for use as a bone graft substitute to be used on bone regeneration in spinal fusion procedures. Company officials state that Nell-1 has already demonstrated an ability to form bone with a significantly greater safety profile, making it a more attractive treatment modality than other bone growth factors and implanted devices.

Bone Biologics President and CEO Steve La Neve, “We believe that Nell-1 may have significant advantages over currently-available osteoporosis therapies. We intend to meet the requirements that would allow Bone Biologics to exercise the option to become the exclusive licensee for the use of Nell-1 for osteoporosis therapy. These requirements include the demonstration of Nell-1’s ability to target multi-billion-dollar target markets in osteoporosis and the demonstration of efficacy in animals. Given the development path we are taking with Nell-1 in the spinal fusion market, we expect to be able to build on that experience as we seek an opportunity to develop Nell-1 for osteoporosis.”