Turku, Finland -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/02/2017 -- Medicortex Finland Oy (http://www.medicortex.fi), a biotechnology company developing a diagnostic kit for brain injury based on a medical breakthrough biomarker, recently was granted clearance to begin a multi-center clinical trial. The trial will consist of patients that are admitted to emergency rooms due to a head injury.

"Collecting and testing human samples in a clinical trial is a significant accomplishment for Medicortex, and represents a meaningful step forward in the development of a fast inexpensive diagnostic kit for brain injury detection," said Dr. Adrian Harel, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Medicortex Finland. "Brain injury is a devastating condition with mortality if not diagnosed. The opportunity to develop the first portable non-invasive kit for brain injury and concussion to help the patients and families that so desperately need it is remarkable."

Samples of body fluids such as blood, urine and plasma will be collected from the study subjects and will be analyzed for a novel biomarker using a biochemical and analytical assay from Medicortex. A special focus will be in catching the patients as soon as possible after the accident and time tracking of the biomarker levels following the injury.

In this clinical trial, Medicortex intends to collect body fluid samples of up to 160 patients who have sustained a head injury, and analyze for the existence of a brain injury biomarker between the patients and healthy control subjects. Based on our earlier laboratory animal tests and the phase one clinical test we can expect positive result from the study.

Dr. Marten Kvist, Medical Director of Medicortex: "We are excited to begin a second clinical study after the promising results of the first trial completed earlier this year. The study is to confirm the clinical relevance of this unique biomarker, and it will lead to development of a diagnostic aid for first responders and paramedics, it will help prioritize evacuation and reframe from administration of contraindicated medications."

Medicortex is working towards the identification of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) biomarker and incorporating it into a quick and reliable diagnostic kit that can be easily used by the first responders and healthcare professionals, and also by people with no medical profession.

About Medicortex
Medicortex Finland Oy is a biotechnology company dedicated to developing diagnostics and treatments for brain injury and concussion. One of the company's missions is to identify a new biomarker in order to reliably assess the severity and extent of brain injury. Medicortex was founded by Dr. Adrian Harel in Turku, Finland, in 2014 and it operates as a privately owned company. Dr. Harel is a neurobiologist and he has a track record in the business management and leadership of early-stage biotechnology companies.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that are "forward-looking statements" that are based upon management's current expectations and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results and events to differ materially and adversely from those indicated herein.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Turku, Finland -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/27/2017 -- Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a slowly developing neurodegenerative condition typical of athletes involved in contact sports. This was evidenced in a recent study in which nearly every former NFL player whose brain was investigated had suffered from CTE. The findings released this week were part of a study conducted by two leading medical institutions devoted to CTE research — the VA Boston Healthcare System and Boston University School of Medicine — and the results concluded that of 111 NFL players' brains that were donated to science after the players' deaths, 110 (99%) were found to have CTE. The disease currently can only be diagnosed post-mortem.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers looked at the brains of 202 deceased people who had played football at various levels, from high school to the NFL. (The brains had been donated to a brain bank at Boston University for further study.) The researchers analyzed the brains for signs of CTE and spoke to family members about the players' histories.

Dr. Jesse Mez, an assistant professor of neurology at Boston University School of Medicine, one of the co-authors of the study, said that "the goal of doctors and scientists is to eventually be able to diagnose CTE among the living". Dr. Mez said that the goal of doctors and scientists is to eventually diagnose CTE among the living, so that research and development of treatment methods can be expedited. "One of the important points is to develop bio-markers and figure out ways of differentiating this disease (CTE) from other neurodegenerative diseases, most certainly Alzheimer's." he adds.

Today, the analysis is made post-mortem (after death) from individuals who engaged to donate their brain for research. Medicortex Finland Oy, a biotechnology company in Finland, is developing a diagnostic tool for rapid sideline detection of brain injury.

This is exactly what Medicortex Finland Oy is aiming at (http://www.medicortex.fi). Medicortex is working towards the identification of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) biomarker in body fluids and incorporating it into a quick and reliable diagnostic kit that can be easily used by sideline paramedics, first responders and healthcare professionals, and also by people with no medical profession. A rapid TBI test will furthermore help prioritize evacuation order in mass casualties and reframe from administration of contraindicated medications.

Recently Medicortex completed analyzing the results from the first clinical trial. The trial consisted of patients that were hospitalized due to a head injury. The clinical results confirmed the presence of a unique biomarker that will be further developed into a new diagnostic tool. Medicortex's test utilizes easily accessible, non-invasive samples of body fluids. It is easy to understand the result of the test which enables straightforward confirmation or ruling-out of TBI without a need of a medical professional. Suspected athletes can be tested for TBI after a prominent hit to the head at sport arenas. The test can be performed by the coach of the team or by a First Aid group in charge.

Dr. Adrian Harel, Chief Executive Officer of Medicortex Finland, says that "Brain injury is a devastating condition leading to mortality if not diagnosed. We have the opportunity to develop the first portable non-invasive kit for head injury and concussion to help the patients and families that so desperately need it is remarkable."

About Medicortex
Medicortex Finland Oy (http://www.medicortex.fi) is an early clinical stage company dedicated to improving the diagnostics and treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Medicortex is currently developing biomarker diagnostics for rapid detection of TBI. The second goal will be to develop an innovative drug to halt the progression of brain injury. Medicortex was founded by and it is headed by a neurobiologist and entrepreneur Adrian Harel (PhD, MBA). The company operates in Turku, Finland.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that are "forward-looking statements" that are based upon management's current expectations and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results and events to differ materially and adversely from those indicated herein.

Contact details
Dr. Adrian Harel - CEO
Medicortex Finland Oy
PharmaCity
Itainen Pitkakatu 4 B FI-20520 Turku Finland
Tel. +358 (0) 400 488 817
adrian.harel@medicortex.fi
http://www.medicortex.fi

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Turku, Finland -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/27/2017 -- Medicortex Finland Oy (http://www.medicortex.fi), a biotechnology company developing a diagnostic kit for brain injury detection based on a medical breakthrough biomarker, recently completed analyzing the results from the first clinical trial. Medicortex is working towards the validation of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) biomarker and incorporating it into a quick and reliable diagnostic kit that can be easily used by the first responders and healthcare professionals, and by people with no medical profession.

The trial consisted of patients that were hospitalized due to a head injury. Medicortex collected body fluid samples of 12 patients who had sustained a head injury, and analyzed the presence of the novel biomarker between the patients and healthy control subjects.

"The biodegradation product we are targeting has never been used for TBI indication. The fact that we can readily find it in easily accessible body fluids such as urine and saliva enables us to develop a user-friendly diagnostic kit for TBI detection", says Dr. Adrian Harel, Chief Executive Officer of Medicortex Finland. "Collecting and testing human samples in a clinical trial is a significant accomplishment for us, and represents a meaningful step forward in the development of a fast and inexpensive diagnostic kit for head injuries," added Dr. Harel. "Brain injuries are devastating, leading to mortality if not diagnosed. The opportunity to develop the first portable non-invasive kit to detect head injuries and concussion is so desperately needed."

Dr. Marten Kvist, Medical Director of Medicortex, says "We are excited of the clinical results which confirm the diagnostic potential of the unique biomarker, it will be further developed into a diagnostic aid for first responders and paramedics, it will help prioritize evacuation and reframe from administration of contraindicated medications."

The clinical trial was supported and funded in part by Tekes (the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation). Medicortex is currently raising money for the next step clinical development of the brain injury test. The planned multicenter clinical study including up to 160 study subjects will prove the validity of the new biomarker test for TBI diagnostics.

The general public can help contribute in the development of MediCortex's diagnostic kit via a crowdfunding campaign at http://www.invesdor.com/medicortex Medicortex is issuing shares with the goal of raising capital to match funds the firm has already applied via Tekes.

About Medicortex
Medicortex Finland Oy (http://www.medicortex.fi) is a biotechnology company dedicated to improving the diagnostics and treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Its current focus is to develop biomarker diagnostics that evaluate the extent and severity of TBI. Once the company completes this test its next goal will be to develop an innovative drug to halt the progression of brain injury.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that are "forward-looking statements" that are based upon management's current expectations and assumptions and are subject to several risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results and events to differ materially and adversely from those indicated herein.

Dr. Adrian Harel - CEO
Medicortex Finland Oy
PharmaCity
Itainen Pitkakatu 4 B, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
Tel. +358 (0) 400 488 817
Fax. +358 (0) 2 251 0100
adrian.harel@medicortex.fi
http://www.medicortex.fi

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Turku, Finland -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/24/2017 -- Every time when a professional football player makes headlines because of a severe concussion sustained on the playing field, a researcher and neurobiologist Dr. Adrian Harel is reminded of the urgent need for more effective protocols to diagnose and treat traumatic brain injury (TBI). Dr. Harel and his team are intensely pursuing breakthrough rapid diagnostic test and treatments for TBI with a new class of drugs. "What so many people fail to realize is that even if a player isn't thrown into a coma or vegetative state by the injury, TBI can have long-lasting effects that may ultimately end in tragedy." Dr. Harel says.

Sports-related TBI among professional athletes is a serious problem. In the US alone, there are annually more than 300,000 cases where athletes are suffering from concussion and TBIs that result in loss of consciousness. When one includes mild concussions (MTBI), the number of cases multiplies into millions. Even one minor concussion can lead to long-term neurodegeneration.

Players suffer memory problems, early-onset dementia, or even, in some rare cases, post-traumatic Parkinsonism. In addition, the general consensus among medical experts is that erratic and aggressive or even violent behavior are tied to a condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which can result from repeated hits to the head.

Moreover, the economic burden and responsibility of the TBI in sports is debated. In January 2014, a federal judge called into question a $765 million settlement by the National Football League (NFL) that would have paid individual players up to $5 million for neurological problems they suffered during their careers. U.S. District Judge Anita Brody voiced concern that the sum was not sufficient to cover all of the injured athletes, particularly as more come forward with injuries.

The medical community is well aware of the importance of early intervention in all forms and degrees of TBI. "We are simply seeing too many of our best athletes [ice-hockey, rugby, football, boxing] permanently brain-damaged," says Dr. Harel, "not to mention the millions of other cases of TBI sustained by people of all ages as a result of vehicle crashes, falls, workplace accidents, and assaults or physical abuse. TBI is a major problem in search of a comprehensive solution. With the research we are doing now, there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel."

Medicortex is seeking investors, together with its crowdfunding campaign. Every interested individual may help the development of the diagnostic kit by participating the crowdfunding campaign at: http://www.invesdor.com/medicortex Medicortex is issuing shares with the goal of raising capital that matches the other half that the firm has already applied for from the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation (Tekes).

About Medicortex
Medicortex Finland Oy (http://www.medicortex.fi) is a biotechnology company dedicated to improving the diagnostics and treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Its current focus is to develop biomarker diagnostics that evaluate the extent and severity of TBI. Once the company completes this test its next goal will be to develop an innovative drug to halt the progression of brain injury.

Key words: NFL, ice-hockey, rugby, brain injury, head injury, concussion, diagnostics, TBI, sport, professional athletes, boxing, early detection

Media contact:
Dr. Adrian Harel - CEO
Medicortex Finland Oy
Itainen Pitkakatu 4 B, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
Tel. +358 (0) 400488817
adrian.harel@medicortex.fi
http://www.medicortex.fi

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Medicortex Finland is raising money through crowdfunding to revolutionize brain injury diagnostics in soldiers and army personnel

Turku, Finland -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/14/2017 -- There is a void of point-of-care test that help diagnose acute traumatic brain injuries on the battlefields. But a crowdfund effort aims to change that. The public can now participate in the crowdfunding campaign and help in the development of the diagnostic kit currently being developed by a Finish-based firm called Medicortex using Invesdor's crowdfunding portal: http://www.invesdor.com/medicortex. Medicortex is issuing shares with a goal of raising capital to match funding from the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation (Tekes).

TBI is an extremely serious and, unfortunately, increasingly common condition which, for combat veterans, is in most cases the direct result of the proximity to the concussive force of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), mortars, rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and other explosive weaponry. The symptoms of TBI which occur because of the head trauma include sleep disturbance, problems with concentration, ringing in the ears, nausea, and seizures. When left untreated, these symptoms can develop into more severe neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Due to the concussive blasts of IEDs in Afghanistan and Iraq, an alarming number of veterans – some 200,000, according to the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center – currently suffer from TBI-related problems. Unfortunately, many if not most were misdiagnosed because, as noted by journalist and military affairs analyst Sharon Weinberger in her 2011 article "Bombs' Hidden Impact: The Brain War", until fairly recently, the symptoms of TBI were often misclassified as symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), the traditional diagnosis for soldiers with neurological and/or emotional problems. To better understand how this misclassification finally ended, Weinberger interviewed Dr. Walter Koroshetz, deputy director of the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Dr. Koroshetz explained that it was the growing awareness of TBI in athletes who had sustained repeated blows to the head during their careers that triggered the current acceptance in the medical world that soldiers were and are suffering from the same neurodegenerative effects of TBI as the athletes.

Why is TBI so insidious and so damaging?

The answer lies in the cascade of physiological events that follow brain trauma. In the hours, days, and weeks following a TBI, the increased permeability of the neuronal membrane allows for an excessive influx of metal ions and circulating free radicals which cause a series of protein degradation cascades and oxidation, leading to widespread molecular damage and neuronal cell death. In short, the damaged area after the initial trauma expands.

"The medical and pharmaceutical community has yet to develop a treatment that can prevent long-term effects of TBI," comments Dr. Adrian Harel, the founder of Medicortex. "At Medicortex, we are working on developing a diagnostic kit and treatments that not only alleviate the immediate symptoms of TBI, but also prevent the underlying condition from causing long-term, devastating consequences. Such diagnostic kit and treatment would offer profound help to the men and women who have suffered brain trauma while serving overseas."

About Medicortex
Medicortex Finland Oy (http://www.medicortex.fi) is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the diagnostics and treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The current focus is on the development of biomarker diagnostics to evaluate the extent and severity of traumatic brain injury and concussion. Once the development of the diagnostic kit is complete, the next goal is to expand the program to the development of an innovative drug to halt the progression of brain injury.

Please look at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1eeuOhXXJ8

Contact:
Adrian Harel, Ph.D., MBA
Itaeinen Pitkaekatu 4 B,
FI-20520 Turku, Finland
Tel: +358 (0) 400 488 817
e-mail: adrian.harel@medicortex.fi
Website: http://www.medicortex.fi

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Finnish pharmaceutical startup Medicortex Finland Oy is developing a diagnostic kit for quick and easy on-site detection of acute traumatic brain injury (TBI). Medicortex is now raising crowdfunding for the next clinical phase in the development of its diagnostic kit.

Turku, Finland -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/03/2017 -- Head trauma is a common injury, and according to several scientific studies, undiagnosed concussion may lead to devastating outcomes and a premature neurodegenerative condition.

To date, there has not been any diagnostic tools for rapidly verifying or ruling out a brain injury soon after a head trauma has occurred. Medicortex's diagnostic kit will enable detection of concussion from non-invasive samples of body fluids, such as saliva and urine. The test will be based on novel biomarkers that are detected upon a head injury taking place.

"The most beneficial purpose for the kit is increasing detection and minimizing misdiagnosis", says CEO Adrian Harel (PhD, MBA). "The new diagnostic kit can open up a new era and a novel way of thinking how to manage patients with suspected concussion" says Dr. Harel.

The Medicortex diagnostic kit will provide a useful tool for the on-site testing of athletes injured during a sports game or for soldiers exposed to blasts on a battlefield. In addition, active young adults are in high risk for head injury, as are the elderly who frequently suffer from falls.

The public can participate in the crowdfunding campaign and help in the development of the diagnostic kit through Invesdor's crowdfunding portal at http://www.invesdor.com/medicortex. Medicortex is issuing shares with a goal of raising capital to match funding from the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation (Tekes).

"Medicortex is doing big things in a very interesting industry, and they have a strong team and experience in promoting such a diagnostic product", says Invesdor CEO Lasse Maekelae. "We are happy to be able to help Medicortex to reach its next milestone in making brain injury diagnostics more accessible."

About Medicortex
Medicortex Finland Oy (http://www.medicortex.fi) is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the diagnostics and treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The current focus is on the development of biomarker diagnostics to evaluate the extent and severity of traumatic brain injury and concussion. Once the development of the diagnostic kit is complete, the next goal is to expand the program to the development of an innovative drug to halt the progression of brain injury.

About Invesdor
Invesdor is the Nordic market leader in equity crowdfunding platforms measured in invested capital and revenue in 2015.A financial technology (fintech) company founded in Finland in 2012, Invesdor operates an online investment platform that connects ambitious European growth companies with investors worldwide. So far Invesdor has helped raise more than 27 million euros and hosted more than 77 successful equity crowdfunding campaigns. Invesdor's clients include private and publicly traded companies from Finland, the UK, Norway and Denmark as well as investors from more than 50 countries. Invesdor has offices in London and Helsinki.

Contacts:
Adrian Harel, Ph.D., MBA
Itainen Pitkakatu 4 B, 4th floor
FI-20520 Turku Finland
Tel: +358 (0) 400 488 817
E-mail: adrian.harel@medicortex.fi
Website: http://www.medicortex.fi

http://www.invesdor.com/medicortex
Mikko Savolainen, communications manager, Invesdor
mikko.savolainen@invesdor.com, +358 40 747 5205

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Turku, Finland -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/02/2017 -- Medicortex Finland Oy received an innovation grant of 15 000 from the Finnish Runar Backstrom Foundation (Runar Backstromin saatio), a foundation that supports innovation activities to help Finnish companies establish their positions within the international competition. In its 2017 call, the Foundation granted a total sum 225 000 € to 15 applicants including Medicortex Finland Oy, who will use the grant for the development of a user-friendly, portable diagnostic system for the detection of traumatic brain injury (TBI). The diagnostic kit will be based on novel biomarkers that the company has discovered in body fluids. Information on the Runar Backstrom Foundation can be found here: (pages in Finnish and Swedish): http://www.runarbackstrominsaatio.fi/ajankohtaista/.

Medicortex established a new diagnostic division/arm to its core business with the goal of developing a biomarker diagnostic test that would reliably establish the severity and extent of brain injuries. The companion diagnostic will be coupled with Medicortex's signature pharmaceutical therapy that will limit the long-term effects of brain injuries.

Treatment and Diagnostics for traumatic brain injury (TBI)

According to Medicortex's CEO, Dr. Adrian Harel, the real reason TBI is insidious and so damaging is due to the cascade of physiological events that follow brain trauma. "In the hours, days, and weeks following the injury, the increased permeability of the neuronal membrane allows for an excessive influx of metal ions and circulating free radicals which cause a series of protein degradation cascades and oxidation, leading to widespread molecular damage and neuronal cell death". In short, the damage expands if not treated after the initial trauma.

"Unfortunately for TBI sufferers, there are currently no treatments available. Not surprisingly, the medical community is well aware of the importance of early intervention in all forms and degrees of TBI. However, none of the currently available therapies really address TBI in the inclusive manner necessary to help reduce or even reverse damage already sustained," adds Dr. Harel.

Athletes and sports professionals are currently amongst the population most likely to suffer a traumatic brain injury. Football and Ice-hockey players certainly aren't the only brain-injured sports figures in the news. It is estimated that TBI and Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) cause 9.6 million hospitalizations in Europe annually, with total costs in excess of €64 billion.

Presently, there are no reliable diagnostic tool for evaluating the extent and severity of brain injury. Medicortex is working towards the identification of a brain injury biomarker and incorporating it into a quick and accurate diagnostic kit that can be easily used by healthcare professionals. The ideal kit will not only diagnose the presence of a brain injury, it will also quantify its severity and indicate the treatment needed. In addition, the kit could become a key component of efficacy testing and an end point in all future clinical trials in TBI.

Numerous studies have found evidence that even one minor concussion can lead to long-term neurodegeneration. The symptoms of TBI occur as a result of repeated head trauma and include sleep disturbance, problems with concentration, nausea and seizures. When left untreated, these symptoms can develop into more severe neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Many football players, boxers and hockey players suffer from memory problems, early-onset dementia, or even, in some rare cases, post-traumatic Parkinsonism.

Medicortex Finland is seeking investments to support the development of a diagnostic device and the clinical studies for assessing the biological activity and lack of toxicity of its pipeline compounds.

About Medicortex
Medicortex Finland Oy (http://www.medicortex.fi) is a start-up pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the diagnostics and treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The current focus is on the development of biomarker diagnostics to evaluate the extent and severity of traumatic brain injury and concussion. Once the development of the diagnostic kit is complete, the next goal is to expand the program to the development of an innovative drug to halt the progression of brain injury.

Medicortex was founded by Dr. Adrian Harel in 2014 in Turku, Finland, and operates as a privately owned company. Dr. Harel has a track record in leadership of early-stage drug discovery companies and business management.

Contact:
Adrian Harel, Ph.D., MBA
Itaeinen Pitkaekatu 4 B, 4th floor
FI-20520 Turku Finland
Tel: +358 (0) 400 488 817
Fax: +358 (0) 2251 0100
e-mail: adrian.harel@medicortex.fi
website: http://www.medicortex.fi

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Turku, Finland -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/01/2016 -- Medicortex Finland Oy (http://www.medicortex.fi), a biotechnology company developing a diagnostic kit for brain injury based on a medical breakthrough biomarker, recently was granted clearance to begin a clinical trial. The trial will consist of patients that are hospitalized due to a head injury.

"Collecting and testing human samples in a clinical trial is a significant accomplishment for Medicortex, and represents a meaningful step forward in the development of a fast inexpensive diagnostic kit for head injury," said Dr. Adrian Harel, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Medicortex Finland. "Brain injury is a devastating condition with mortality if not diagnosed. The opportunity to develop the first portable non-invasive kit for head injury and concussion to help the patients and families that so desperately need it is remarkable."

Samples of body fluids: blood, urine, plasma and Cerebrospinal fluid will be taken from these subjects and will be analyzed for a novel biomarker using a biochemical assay from Medicortex.

In this clinical trial. Medicortex intends to collect body fluid samples of 12 patients who have sustained a head injury, and analyze for the existence of a biomarker between the patients and healthy control subjects. Based on our earlier laboratory animal tests we can expect promising result from the study.

[https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02836951?term=medicortex&rank=1]

Dr. Marten Kvist, "We are excited to begin a clinical test, confirming the presence of this unique biomarker, it will be further developed into a diagnostic aid for first responders and paramedics, it will help prioritize evacuation and reframe from administration of contraindicated medications."

Medicortex is working towards the identification of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) biomarker and incorporating it into a quick and reliable diagnostic kit that can be easily used by the first responders and healthcare professionals, and also by people with no medical profession.

This clinical trial is supported and funded in part by Tekes (the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation.

About Medicortex
Medicortex Finland Oy is a biotechnology company dedicated to developing diagnostics and treatments for acute neurodegenerative conditions, including brain injury and concussion. One of the company's missions is to identify a new biomarker in order to reliably assess the severity and extent of brain injury. Medicortex was founded by Dr. Adrian Harel in Turku, Finland, in 2014 and it operates as a privately owned company. Dr. Harel has a track record in the business management and leadership of early-stage biotechnology companies.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that are "forward-looking statements" that are based upon management's current expectations and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results and events to differ materially and adversely from those indicated herein.

Dr. Adrian Harel - CEO
Medicortex Finland Oy
PharmaCity
Itaeinen Pitkaekatu 4 B, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
Tel. +358 (0) 400 488 817
Fax. +358 (0) 2 251 0100
adrian.harel@medicortex.fi
http://www.medicortex.fi

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Currently in the human proof-of-concept stage, Medicortex is seeking an investment to support the fast evaluation of a TBI biomarker from human samples

Turku, Finland -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/23/2016 -- Medicortex Finland Oy, a start-up biotechnology company focused on the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative conditions has recently launched a funding round and is seeking investors to help fund research and development of a therapeutic drug and companion diagnostic test for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The company aims to identify a TBI biomarker and, on this basis, develop a diagnostic test for the evaluation of TBI presence and severity. The Company's other mission is to develop a drug that would limit the long-term effects of TBI, including post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

Numerous studies show that even one mild TBI, also called concussions, can lead to long-term neurodegeneration, which can manifest as sleep disturbance, problems with concentration, nausea, and seizures. When left untreated, these symptoms can develop into more severe neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases. As a result of repeated head trauma, many football players, boxers, and ice hockey players suffer from impaired memory and early-onset dementia.

The insidious and devastating consequences of TBI result from the cascade of physiological events that follow the trauma. In the hours, days, and weeks after TBI, the increased permeability of the neuronal membrane allows for an excessive influx of metal ions and circulating free radicals into the brain. These cause a series of protein degradation cascades and oxidation, leading to widespread molecular damage and neuronal cell death. In short, the damage expands and permanent neurodegeneration takes place if TBI is left untreated. Unfortunately, no drug or proper diagnostic test exist for TBI sufferers.

The people most likely to suffer from TBI include, among others, soldiers, athletes and sports professionals. Certainly, the world remembers Michael Schumacher, race car driver and Formula One winner, who suffered a ski accident and fought a serious TBI. No matter how much attention these stories receive, the real story of sports-related TBI lies in the sheer magnitude of the problem. The total annual costs of TBI in Europe exceed €100 billion and the costs show no decrease because the incidence of TBI is increasing steeply. The incidence rate is estimated to be 262 per 100,000 annually, but the true incidence might be even higher because of the lack of proper TBI diagnostics.

Medicortex Finland is working towards the identification of a TBI biomarker and incorporating it into a quick and reliable diagnostic kit that can be easily used by the first responders and healthcare professionals, but also by people with no medical profession. The ideal kit will not only diagnose the presence of TBI, but it will also quantify the severity of injury so that the recovery can be monitored. In the future, the kit will advance the TBI drug development that will again alleviate or even arrest the long-term neurodegeneration after TBI.

Medicortex Finland, currently in the human proof-of-concept stage, is seeking an investment to support the fast evaluation of a TBI biomarker from human samples.

About Medicortex
Medicortex Finland Oy is a start-up biotechnology company dedicated to developing diagnostics and treatments for acute neurodegenerative conditions, including TBI. One of the company's missions is to identify a new biomarker in order to reliably assess the severity and extent of TBI. Medicortex was founded by Dr. Adrian Harel in Turku, Finland, in 2014 and it operates as a privately owned company. Dr. Harel has a track record in the business management and leadership of early-stage drug discovery companies.

Investor Contact
Adrian Harel, Ph.D., MBA
Itaeinen Pitkaekatu 4 B, 4th floor
FI-20520 Turku
Finland
Fax: +358 (0) 2251 0100
e-mail: adrian.harel@medicortex.fi
website: http://www.medicortex.fi

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Turku, Finland -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/18/2016 -- Medicortex Finland Oy received an innovation grant of 15 000 € from the Runar Baeckstroem Foundation (Runar Baeckstroemin saeaetioe), a foundation that supports innovation activities to help Finnish companies establish their positions within the international competition. In its 2016 call, the Foundation granted a total sum 285 000 € to 18 applicants including Medicortex Finland Oy, who will use the grant for the development of a user-friendly, portable diagnostic system for the detection of traumatic brain injuries (TBI). The diagnostic kit will be based on novel biomarkers that the company has discovered in body fluids.

Last year, Medicortex established a new diagnostic division/arm to its core business with the goal of developing a biomarker diagnostic test that would reliably establish the severity and extent of brain injuries. The companion diagnostic will be coupled with Medicortex's signature pharmaceutical therapy that will limit the long-term effects of brain injuries.

Information on the Runar Baeckstroem Foundation can be found here: (pages in Finnish and Swedish): http://www.runarbackstrominsaatio.fi/ajankohtaista/

Void in Treatment and Diagnostics: Quest for a tool for traumatic brain injuries (TBI)

According to Medicortex's CEO, Adrian Harel, Ph.D., MBA, the real reason TBIs are insidious and so damaging is due to the cascade of physiological events that follow brain trauma. "In the hours, days, and weeks following the injury, the increased permeability of the neuronal membrane allows for an excessive influx of metal ions and circulating free radicals which cause a series of protein degradation cascades and oxidation, leading to widespread molecular damage and neuronal cell death. In short, the damage expands if not treated after the initial trauma.

"Unfortunately for TBI sufferers, there are currently no treatments available. Not surprisingly, the medical community is well aware of the importance of early intervention in all forms and degrees of TBI. However, none of the currently available therapies really address TBI in the inclusive manner necessary to help reduce or even reverse damage already sustained," adds Dr. Harel.

Athletes and sports professionals are currently amongst the population most likely to suffer a traumatic brain injury. Football players certainly aren't the only brain-injured sports figures in the news. The sports world surely remembers Michael Schumacher, the German race car driver and Formula One winner, who suffered a near-fatal ski accident and a serious brain injury. No matter how much attention these stories receive, the real story of sports-related TBI lies in the sheer magnitude of the problem. It is estimated that TBI and Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) cause 9.6 million hospitalizations in Europe annually, with total costs in excess of €64 billion.

Presently, there are no reliable diagnostic tool exists for evaluating the extent and severity of brain injury. Medicortex is working towards the identification of a brain injury biomarker and incorporating it into a quick and accurate diagnostic kit that can be easily used by healthcare professionals. The ideal kit will not only diagnose the presence of a brain injury, it will also quantify its severity and indicate the treatment needed. In addition, the kit could become a key component of efficacy testing and an end point in all future clinical trials in TBI.

Numerous studies have found evidence that even one minor concussion can lead to long-term neurodegeneration. The symptoms of TBI occur as a result of repeated head trauma and include sleep disturbance, problems with concentration, nausea and seizures. When left untreated, these symptoms can develop into more severe neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Many football players, boxers and hockey players suffer from memory problems, early-onset dementia, or even, in some rare cases, post-traumatic Parkinsonism.

Medicortex Finland is seeking investments to support the development of a diagnostic device and initial clinical studies for assessing the biological activity and lack of toxicity of its pipeline compounds.

About Medicortex
Medicortex Finland Oy (http://www.medicortex.fi) is a start-up pharmaceutical company dedicated to identifying biomarkers in order to reliably assess the severity and extent of brain injury. Medicortex Finland's secondary mission is to develop new treatments for TBI. Medicortex was founded by Dr. Adrian Harel in 2014 in Turku, Finland, and operates as a privately owned company. Dr. Harel has a track record in leadership of early-stage drug discovery companies and business management.

For more information, log on to http://www.medicortex.fi

Contact:
Adrian Harel, Ph.D., MBA
Itaeinen Pitkaekatu 4 B, 4th floor
FI-20520 Turku Finland
Tel: +358 (0) 400 4888 17
Fax: +358 (0) 2251 0100
e-mail: adrian.harel@medicortex.fi
website: http://www.medicortex.fi

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

The Company is also focused on signature pharmaceutical therapy to limit the long-term effects of brain injury

Turku, Finland -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/28/2015 -- Medicortex Finland Oy has established a new diagnostic division/arm to its core business with the goal of developing a biomarker diagnostic test that would reliably establish the severity and extent of brain injuries. The companion diagnostic will be coupled with Medicortex's signature pharmaceutical therapy that will limit the long-term effects of brain injuries, including the types of severe brain trauma that leads to strokes in patients.

Competitive and non-competitive athletes and sports professionals are currently amongst the population most likely to suffer a traumatic brain injury. Football players certainly aren't the only brain-injured sports figures in the news. The sports world surely remembers Michael Schumacher, the German race car driver and Formula One winner, who suffered a near-fatal ski accident and a serious brain injury. No matter how much attention these stories receive, the real story of sports-related TBI lies in the sheer magnitude of the problem. It is estimated that TBI and Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) cause 9.6 million hospitalizations in Europe annually, with total costs in excess of €64 billion.

No reliable diagnostic tool exists for evaluating the extent and severity of brain injury. Medicortex is working towards the identification of a brain injury biomarker and incorporating it into a quick and accurate diagnostic kit that can be easily used by healthcare professionals. The ideal kit will not only diagnose the presence of a brain injury, it will also quantify its severity and indicate the treatment needed. In addition, the kit could become a key component of efficacy testing and an end point in all future clinical trials in TBI.

Numerous studies have found evidence that even one minor concussion can lead to long-term neurodegeneration. The symptoms of TBI occur as a result of repeated head trauma and include sleep disturbance, problems with concentration, nausea and seizures. When left untreated, these symptoms can develop into more severe neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Many football players, boxers and hockey players suffer from memory problems, early-onset dementia, or even, in some rare cases, post-traumatic Parkinsonism.

Void in Treatment and Diagnostics
According to Medicortex's CEO, Adrian Harel, Ph.D., MBA, believes the real reason TBI's are insidious and so damaging is due to the the cascade of physiological events that follow brain trauma. "In the hours, days, and weeks following the injury, the increased permeability of the neuronal membrane allows for an excessive influx of metal ions and circulating free radicals which cause a series of protein degradation cascades and oxidation, leading to widespread molecular damage and neuronal cell death. In short, the damage expands if not treated after the initial trauma. Unfortunately for TBI sufferers, there are currently no treatments available. Not surprisingly, the medical community is well aware of the importance of early intervention in all forms and degrees of TBI. However, none of the currently available therapies really address TBI in the inclusive manner necessary to help reduce or even reverse damage already sustained." Adds Dr. Harel.

Medicortex Finland is seeking investments to support the development of a diagnostic device and initial studies for assessing the biological activity and lack of toxicity of its pipeline compounds.

About Medicortex
Medicortex Finland Oy is a start-up pharmaceutical company dedicated to identifying biomarkers in order to reliably assess the severity and extent of brain injury. Medicortex Finland's secondary mission is to develop new treatments for TBI and stroke. Medicortex was founded by Dr. Adrian Harel in 2014 in Turku, Finland, and operates as a privately owned company. Dr. Harel has a track record in leadership of early-stage drug discovery companies and business management.

For more information, log on to http://medicortex.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Medicortex is currently seeking investors and has launched a crowd funding campaign in order to develop a therapeutic drug for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and to identify biomarkers to evaluate the extent and severity of brain injury.

Turku, Finland -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/30/2014 -- Medicortex Finland Oy is a start-up pharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of neurodegenerative conditions. The company is developing a pharmaceutical therapy, which will limit the long-term effects of brain injuries, including the types of severe brain trauma that veterans may have received in combat. The Company's other mission is to identify a biomarker and a diagnostic test to reliably establish the severity and extent of a brain injury. The company has recently launched a crowd funding campaign accessible at http://privatequity.biz/stock/medicortex-finland-oy/

In addition to soldiers in combat, athletes and sports professionals are amongst the population most likely to suffer a traumatic brain injury. Football players aren't the only brain-injured sports figures in the news today. The sports world surely remembers Michael Schumacher, the German race car driver and Formula One winner, who suffered a near-fatal ski accident and fought a serious brain injury. He was brought out of coma that he was in for several weeks due to TBI he suffered by his injuries. No matter how much attention these stories receive, the real story of sports-related TBI lies in the sheer magnitude of the problem.

Total costs in Europe are estimated at over €33 billion annually. It is estimated that TBI and Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) cause 9.6 million hospitalisations in Europe annually, with total costs in excess of €64 billion.

Numerous studies have found evidence that even one minor concussion can lead to long-term neurodegeneration. The symptoms of TBI which occur as a result of repeated head trauma include sleep disturbance, problems with concentration, nausea, or seizures. When left untreated, these symptoms can develop into more severe neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Many football players, boxers and hockey players suffer memory problems, early-onset dementia, or even, in some rare cases, post-traumatic Parkinsonism.

No reliable diagnostic tool exist for evaluating the extent and severity of brain injury. Medicortex is working towards the identification of a brain injury biomarker and incorporating it into a quick and accurate diagnostic kit that can be easily used by healthcare professionals. The ideal kit will not only diagnose the presence of brain injury, it will also quantify its severity and indicate the treatment needed. In addition, the kit could become a key component of efficacy testing end point in all future clinical trials in TBI.

Why, then, is TBI so insidious and so damaging? The answer lies in the cascade of physiological events that follow brain trauma. In the hours, days, and weeks following a TBI, the increased permeability of the neuronal membrane allows for an excessive influx of metal ions and circulating free radicals which cause a series of protein degradation cascades and oxidation, leading to widespread molecular damage and neuronal cell death. In short, the damage expands if not treated after the initial trauma. Unfortunately for TBI sufferers, there are currently no treatments available. Not surprisingly, the medical community is well aware of the importance of early intervention in all forms and degrees of TBI. As Dr. Harel stresses in his vision, none of the currently available therapies really address TBI in the inclusive manner necessary to help reduce or even reverse damage already sustained, and to prevent further damage.

Medicortex Finland, currently in the proof-of-concept stage, is seeking an investment to support synthesis and initial in-vitro tissue culture studies for assessing the biological activity and lack of toxicity of its pipeline compounds.

For more information about Medicorex, please log on to http://www.medicortex.fi

To learn more about the crowd funding campaign, please log on to the following link: http://privatequity.biz/stock/medicortex-finland-oy/

About Medicortex
Medicortex Finland Oy is a start-up pharmaceutical company dedicated to finding treatments for acute neurodegenerative conditions, including TBI and stroke. One of the company's missions is to identify biomarkers in order to reliably assess the severity and extent of brain injury. Medicortex was founded by Dr. Adrian Harel in 2014 in Turku, Finland, and operates as a privately owned company. Dr. Harel has a track record in leadership of early-stage drug discovery companies and business management.

Contact:
Adrian Harel, Ph.D., MBA
Itaeinen Pitkaekatu 4 B, 4th floor
FI-20520 Turku
Finland
Tel: +358 (0) 46 611 3988
Fax: +358 (0) 2251 0100
e-mail: adrian.harel@medicortex.fi
website: http://www.medicortex.fi

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

MediCortex is currently conducting research and developing therapeutic drugs with the purpose of limiting the long-term neurodegenerative effects caused by TBI. The company seeks to assist combat veterans who have sustained brain damage on the battlefield.

Ness-Ziona, Israel -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2014 -- MediCortex, a start-up pharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of neurodegenerative conditions, is developing therapeutic drug which will limit the long-term effects of brain injury, including the types of severe brain trauma that veterans have received in combat.

MediCortex, currently in the proof-of-concept stage, is seeking an investment to support synthesis and initial in-vitro tissue culture studies for assessing the biological activity and lack of toxicity of its pipeline compounds.

Traumatic Brain Injury is an extremely serious and, unfortunately, increasingly common condition which, for combat veterans, is in most cases the direct result of close proximity to the concussive force of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), mortars, rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and other explosive ordnance. The symptoms of TBI which occur as a result of repeated head trauma include sleep disturbance, problems with concentration, ringing in the ears, nausea, and seizures. When left untreated, these symptoms can develop into more severe neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Due to the concussive blasts of IEDs in Afghanistan and Iraq, an alarming number of veterans – some 200,000, according to the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center – currently suffer from TBI-related problems. Thirty percent of soldiers taken to Walter Reed Army Medical Center since 2003 suffered traumatic brain injuries, according to the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, according to the Betty Clooney Center.

Unfortunately, many if not most were misdiagnosed because, as noted by journalist and military affairs analyst Sharon Weinberger in her 2011 article , until fairly recently, the symptoms of TBI were often misclassified as symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), the traditional diagnosis for soldiers with neurological and/or emotional problems.

In the article, Weinberger desribed how Dr. Walter Koroshetz, deputy director of the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, explained how the growing awareness of TBI in athletes who had sustained repeated blows to the head during their careers, triggered the current acceptance in the medical world that soldiers were and are suffering from the same neurodegenerative effects of TBI as the athletes.

Why is TBI so insidious and so damaging?

The answer lies in the cascade of physiological events that follow brain trauma. In the hours, days, and weeks following a TBI, the increased permeability of the neuronal membrane allows for an excessive influx of metal ions and circulating free radicals which cause a series of protein degradation cascades and oxidation, leading to widespread molecular damage and neuronal cell death. In short, the damaged area after the initial trauma actually expands if not treated. Unfortunately for TBI sufferers, there are currently no anti-cascade treatments.

"The medical and pharmaceutical community has yet to develop a treatment that can prevent long-term neurodegenerative disorders caused by TBI," comments Dr. Adrian Harel, the founder of MediCortex. "At MediCortex, we are working on developing treatments that not only alleviate the immediate symptoms of TBI, but also prevent the underlying condition from causing long-term, devastating consequences. Such a treatment would offer profound help to the men and women who have suffered brain trauma while serving overseas."

Previous attempts to use a single biochemical mechanism to treat TBI have not been successful. The problem is that it is insufficient to stop just one aspect of the cascade. This is precisely why MediCortex is developing a multifunctional approach to treatment, which aims at decreasing circulating toxic metal ion levels in the brain as well as minimizing oxidation by free radicals. This synergistic approach is expected to prevent the cascade of events leading to brain degeneration.

About MediCortex
MediCortex USA, Ltd. is a start-up pharmaceutical company dedicated to finding treatments for acute neurodegenerative conditions, including TBI, toxic nerve-agent exposure, and stroke. The company is currently focused on developing a multiplex treatment for traumatic brain injury and stroke. MediCortex was founded by Dr. Adrian Harel in 2011 in Delaware, USA, and operates as a privately owned company. Dr. Harel has a track record in leadership of early-stage drug discovery companies and business management.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Pioneering research could revolutionize treatment of brain injuries in professional athletes

Ness-Ziona, Israel -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/12/2014 -- The world recently found out that Former Jets quarterback Joe Namath, who led the team to its only Super Bowl championship has been living with the lifelong effects of his concussions sustained during his professional football career. Every time another pro football player makes headlines because of a severe concussion sustained on the playing field, renowned neurobiologist and researcher Dr. Adrian Harel is reminded of the urgent need for more effective protocols to treat traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI is a serious problem, and sports-related TBI – particularly among professional athletes – has frequently been in the news in recent years.

Dr. Harel, president and founder of MediCortex USA, Ltd., and his team are intensely pursuing breakthrough treatments for TBI with a new class of drugs that address brain trauma in a more comprehensive manner than is possible with currently available therapies.

Sports-related TBI gained renewed attention in January 2014 when a federal judge called into question a $765 million settlement by the National Football League (NFL) that would have paid individual players up to $5 million for neurological problems they suffered during their careers. U.S. District Judge Anita Brody voiced concern that the sum was not sufficient to cover all of the injured athletes, particularly as more come forward with injuries.

Football players certainly aren't the only brain-injured sports figures in the news. As of early this month, German race car driver and Formula One winner Michael Schumacher, who suffered a near-fatal ski accident, is being brought out of a medically induced coma that he was in for several weeks due to TBI. But as much attention as these marquis stories receive, the real story of sports-related TBI lies in the sheer magnitude of the problem. In the US alone, there are over 300,000 cases annually of athletes suffering from TBI's that result in loss of consciousness.

When one includes mild concussions (also called MTBI's), that number burgeons into the millions, according to a seminal 2006 study sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control (The Epidemiology and Impact of Traumatic Brain Injury: An Overview). Lest one think that an MTBI is not a reason to seek medical treatment – as most people mistakenly believe – numerous studies have found unequivocal evidence that even one minor concussion can lead to long-term neurodegeneration. For example, a 2011 study titled Long-term Cognitive and Emotional Consequences of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury tested otherwise healthy people who had suffered an MTBI on average 6 years prior to the study. The researchers found that these individuals "had significant impairments in all cognitive domains compared to the healthy control subjects." One wonders how much suffering and disability could be averted if all medical staffs at sporting events, not to mention ambulances and emergency rooms, had access to effective TBI drugs.

Not surprisingly, the medical community is well aware of the importance of early intervention in all forms and degrees of TBI. However, as Dr. Harel stresses in discussing his vision of a robust TBI treatment, none of the currently available therapies really address TBI in the inclusive manner necessary to help reduce or even reverse damage already sustained, and to prevent further damage. "The fact is that a brain injury is caused by a number of biochemical changes," he says, "and this means that multiple agents would need to be administered simultaneously in order to restore the chemical balance. But as of now, there are no pharmaceutical solutions that address all of the problems. Current therapies only address one or two symptoms at most."

He says he and his team at MediCortex are working on developing a new class of drug that blocks several different biochemical cascades at the same time. They are exploring the possibilities of a multi-functional drug, i.e., one compound with several clinical effects, with their research currently focused on compounds that lower free radicals, bind free metal ions, reduce infection, and control inflammation. "All of these processes are necessary to properly address the initial trauma, lessen or prevent secondary degeneration, and produce the best outcome," explains Dr. Harel.

What so many people fail to realize is that even if a player isn't thrown into a vegetative state by the injury, TBI can have long-lasting effects that may ultimately end in tragedy. While not all suicides can conclusively be attributed to sports-related TBI, the general consensus among medical experts is that erratic and aggressive or even violent behavior are tied to a condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which can result from repeated hits to the head – the type of hits that many players experience in games and practices. Other players suffer memory problems, early-onset dementia, or even, in some rare cases, post-traumatic Parkinsonism.

In light of the gravity of the problem, it is somewhat surprising that there are presently no major pharmaceutical players in the TBI arena. It is a critical area of research, though, and in October of 2013 the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced it is awarding $18.8 million over five years to support worldwide research on concussion and traumatic brain injury, to be administered through the University of California, San Francisco. In fact this is part of a $30 million grant that the NFL gave to the NIH to research sports-related TBI (N ew York Times: Delving Into Brain Injuries with the NFL's Money). But the groundbreaking work of independent researchers such as Dr. Harel, who has many years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, is also vital. Accordingly, MediCortex is seeking investors, venture capitalists, and philanthropic contributions to provide the necessary funds for this crucial research to continue.

"We are simply seeing too many of our best athletes permanently brain-damaged," says Dr. Harel, "not to mention the millions of other cases of TBI sustained by people of all ages as a result of vehicle crashes, falls at home, workplace accidents, and assaults or physical abuse. TBI is a major problem in search of a comprehensive solution. With the research we are doing now, there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel."

About Medicortex
Founded in 2011 by Dr. Adrian Harel, MediCortex USA Ltd. is a start-up pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and pre-clinical development of innovative therapies for the treatment of acute neurodegenerative conditions, including traumatic brain injury, exposure to toxic nerve agents and stroke. MediCortex's mission is to develop a truly effective neuroprotection therapy that limits the damage in brain injury, based on a novel multifunctional drug approach. By doing so, MediCortex will provide a solution to an unmet need for the treatment of acute neurodegenerative diseases. Currently, MediCortex operates in the United States and Israel.

For more information about the work that MediCortex and Dr. Adrian Harel are doing to develop a multi-functional drug for brain injury, visit http://www.medicortex.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

New research could provide new hope to young victims and their families

Ness-Ziona, Israel -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/20/2014 -- Many have been outraged by news stories of infants who died of "shaken baby syndrome," or SBS - traumatic head injuries at the hands of a caregiver or parent who snapped and took his or her rage out on the helpless child.

Many have also been saddened by the report of a promising young athletes whose life was shattered after receiving a serious concussion while playing a sport they loved. Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, in youngsters isn't something that most people think about, at least until one of those heart-breaking stories airs on TV, or tragedy strikes even closer to home. TBI is the leading cause of death of children and young adults, according to the Centre for Head Injury Services (http://www.headinjuryctr-stl.org/statistics.html).

Promising new therapies may give new hope to young TBI victims and their families, according to Dr. Adrian Harel, a renowned neurobiologist with many years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. Dr. Harel, president and founder of the research company Medicortex USA, is on a mission to develop breakthrough treatments for TBI, specifically with a new class of drugs that address brain trauma in a more comprehensive manner than current therapies.

"This research is important and timely because TBI in children and young adults is a serious and growing problem," says Dr. Harel. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) web site (www.cdc.gov), approximately 18% of all TBI-related emergency-room visits involve children aged 0 to 4 years; falls cause at least half of these injuries.

Abuse is another common cause. Although in recent years some experts have questioned the frequency of shaken baby syndrome, it certainly does occur, and is one of the severest forms of physical child abuse. In fact, child abuse accounts for 64% of all infant head injuries, according to the Centre for Head Injury Services. But as every parent knows, infants can get into plenty of mischief on their own once they start crawling, and as they become toddler and are intent on exploring their world, falls and other accidents are a constant hazard. In the U.S. alone, more than one million children sustain a head injury each year, and 1 in 10 kids hospitalized for these injuries will suffer moderate to severe impairments. Dr. Harel believes that the new drug he is researching may have immense promise for lessening or preventing these impairments.

As children get a little older and become involved in sports and other activities, the potential for TBI increases. Each year, U.S. emergency rooms treat more than 170,000 sports- or recreation-related TBIs - including concussions - among children and adolescents up to 19 years of age, according to the CDC. Among these age groups, ER visits for sports- and recreation-related TBIs increased by 60 percent during the past decade. Bicycling, football, playground activities, basketball, and soccer are associated with the greatest number of TBI-related ER visits. In addition, the risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than among any other age group.

"Treating TBI can be problematic because of the enormous potential for secondary degeneration. In too many cases the initial incident is just the beginning of the problem; damage is an ongoing process", explains Dr. Harel. According to him, brain trauma can have a ripple effect, with the continual damage being roughly comparable to the ever-expanding circles that occur in water when the surface is disturbed. "Currently available therapies fail to fully address these problems" adds Dr. Harel.

According to Dr. Harel, "That's not from lack of effort on the part of the pharmaceutical companies and research labs. Several drugs have been developed. Unfortunately all failed in Phase 3 clinical trials. After extensive review of the literature, I came to the conclusion that the main reason for these failures is the dogma that dictates 'one chemical for one activity' - and this is not the right way to approach TBI."

What's the solution? "We need to develop a new class of drugs that block several different biochemical cascades at the same time," says Dr. Harel. The team at Medicortex are exploring the possibilities of a multi-activity drug, i.e., one compound with several clinical affects. The research is currently focused on compounds that lower free radicals, bind free metal ions, reduce infection, and control inflammation. "All of these processes are necessary to properly address the initial trauma, lessen or prevent secondary degeneration, and produce the best outcome," explains Dr. Harel.

He adds that Medicortex is currently seeking investors, venture capitalists, and philanthropic contributions to provide the necessary funds for this crucial research to continue. "I am very optimistic," he says, "and I will continue my efforts to give the victims and their families hope - a light at the end of the tunnel."

For parents anxiously sitting by the bedside of their injured junior athlete, or pacing the halls in the ER after their toddler took a tumble down the stairs, that light at the end of the tunnel cannot come soon enough.

About Medicortex
Founded in 2011 by Dr. Adrian Harel, Medicortex USA Ltd. is a start-up pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and pre-clinical development of innovative therapies for the treatment of acute neurodegenerative conditions, including traumatic brain injury, exposure to toxic nerve agents and stroke. Medicortex's mission is to develop a truly effective neuro-protection therapy that limits the damage in brain injury, based on a novel multifunctional drug approach. By doing so, Medicortex will provide a solution to an unmet need for the treatment of acute neurodegenerative diseases. Currently, Medicortex operates in the United States and Israel.

For more information about the work that Medicortex and Dr. Adrian Harel are doing to develop a multifunctional drug for brain injury/TBI, visit http://www.medicortex.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm