Nobilis Therapeutics Signs Exclusive License Agreement with Harvard University for PTSD Treatment

SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwired - March 28, 2016) - Nobilis Therapeutics, Inc. announced today entry into an exclusive agreement with Harvard University's Partners Healthcare to license intellectual property surrounding the use of noble gas-containing mixtures as a treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The agreement gives Nobilis Therapeutics the rights to the treatment of PTSD as well as of other psychiatric disorders.

The use of Noble gas-containing mixtures to treat PTSD was pioneered by researchers at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital, including Dr. Edward Meloni, PhD, an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry. Dr. Meloni's recent animal study had decisively demonstrated a significant reduction in fear symptoms after exposure to noble gas-containing gas mixture¹. 

"The therapeutic potential of noble gas based therapeutics is difficult to overestimate," said Dr. Meloni. "We are excited to work with the team of Nobilis Therapeutics, who have years of clinical development experience in the area of experimental therapeutics, to bring this promising therapy as quickly as possible to patients."

"This license agreement adds to Nobilis Therapeutics' growing IP portfolio that centers around noble gas applications," stated Dr. Vlad Bogin, CEO of Nobilis Therapeutics. "We believe that noble gas-containing therapy has tremendous potential to reduce the burden of many psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases and are excited to work with Dr. Meloni and his colleagues on launching a clinical trial on its use in PTSD treatment this year."

About PTSD

PTSD is a mental health disorder that is triggered by witnessing or living though a terrifying event. Symptoms include severe anxiety, flashbacks and nightmares that are extremely difficult to treat. The lifetime prevalence of PTSD in adult US population has been reported to range between 6.8 and 12.3 per cent. It is estimated that in veteran population PTSD leads to more than 22 suicides per day, an unsettling number. Current pharmacological treatments for PTSD consist of antidepressants and antipsychotics that have very limited efficacy, making effective treatment modality a significant unmet medical need.

About Nobilis Therapeutics

Nobilis Therapeutics, LLC is a biotechnology company that is focused on development and commercialization of proprietary inhalation-based treatments using controlled device administration of inert gases that have exceptional safety profile proven by decades of clinical use. The Company has filed IP on the use of inert gases for treatment of a variety of psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases and leverages the experience of its international team that has successfully used this technology in treatment of over 500 patients for conditions ranging from panic attacks to substance abuse.

¹ Meloni et al. PLoS One. 2014 Aug 27;9(8):e106189. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4146606/pdf/pone.0106189.pdf