First Parkinson’s disease patient treated in BlueRock’s pivotal Phase III trial of investigational cell therapy bemdaneprocel
•exPDite-2 is the first Phase III pivotal clinical trial for an investigational allogeneic pluripotent stem cell derived therapy to treat Parkinson’s disease •Trial is a randomized, sham surgery-controlled double-blind study assessing efficacy and safety of bemdaneprocel in people living with Parkinson’s disease
Cambridge, MA USA, Sept. 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BlueRock Therapeutics LP, a clinical-stage cell therapy company and wholly owned independeltly operated subsidiary of Bayer AG, today announced that the first patient has received randomized treatment in the pivotal Phase III clinical trial, exPDite-2, of bemdaneprocel, an investigational cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease.
“People living with Parkinson’s disease urgently need new therapies that truly alter the course of the disease,” said Amit Rakhit, MD, MBA, BlueRock’s Chief Development and Medical Officer. “The initiation of the exPDite-2 trial represents a major step forward toward advancing bemdaneprocel and we are excited to build on the momentum of our earlier data to further develop it as a potentially transformative cell therapy aimed at restoring motor and non-motor function.”
exPDite-2 is the first Phase III pivotal clinical trial for an investigational allogeneic pluripotent stem cell derived therapy to treat Parkinson’s disease. In a Phase I study with 12 participants, bemdaneprocel was well tolerated, with no serious adverse events related to drug product at 24 months post-surgery. In addition, encouraging trends were observed in secondary endpoints related to motor impairments at 24 months post-surgery. Building on these results, exPDite-2 is a multicenter, double-blind trial that will assess the efficacy, safety and overall impact of bemdaneprocel compared to sham surgery control. The trial is designed to enroll approximately 102 participants with Parkinson’s disease. The primary endpoint of the study is change from baseline to week 78 in PD diary measure of ON-time without troublesome dyskinesia, adjusted for a 16-hour waking day. In addition, the trial will incorporate secondary endpoints designed to assess objective measures of movement, non-motor symptoms, safety and tolerability, and instruments that capture activities of daily living and quality of life.
“The initiation of the expDite-2 Phase III trial marks a significant milestone in our commitment to transform the treatment landscape for Parkinson’s disease through innovative therapies,” said Christian Rommel Ph.D., Head of Research and Development at Bayer’s Pharmaceuticals Division. “Bemdaneprocel aims to sustainably restore lost physiologic function in the dopaminergic system impacted by the disease, ultimately to enhance the quality of life for patients.”
Depending upon the outcome, the results from this trial are intended to be part of a data package to support regulatory submissions for marketing authorization.
About bemdaneprocel (BRT-DA01)
Bemdaneprocel (BRT-DA01) is an investigational cell therapy designed to replace the dopamine producing neurons that are lost in Parkinson’s disease. These dopaminergic neuron precursors are derived from human embryonic pluripotent stem cells that continue developing into mature dopamine neurons after implantation. In a surgical procedure, these neuron precursors are implanted into the brain of a person with Parkinson’s disease. When transplanted, they have the potential to re-form neural networks that have been severely affected by Parkinson’s disease and to potentially restore motor and non-motor function to patients. In 2021 bemdaneprocel received Fast Track Designation and in 2024 a Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation from the FDA. Data from the Phase I trial’s 12 participants presented at the 2024 International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders (MDS) demonstrated good tolerability, with no serious adverse events related to drug product at 24 months post-surgery. Further, encouraging trends were observed in secondary endpoints related to motor impairments at 24 months post-surgery. These participants continue in the long term Continued Evaluation Study. Bemdaneprocel has not been approved for treatment of any disease or medical condition by any health authority.
About Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. It has a significant impact on a person’s daily life. In PD, the death of dopamine producing nerve cells in the brain leads to the continuous loss of motor function. Symptoms include tremors, muscle rigidity, and slowness of movement. Additionally, people with PD experience non-motor symptoms, including fatigue and lack of energy, cognitive issues, and depression. Symptoms typically intensify over time and make everyday tasks demanding. The prevalence of PD has doubled over the past 25 years. Today, more than 10 million people worldwide are estimated to be living with PD. This makes it the
world’s second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease. It is also the most frequent movement disorder. At present there is no cure, and current treatment options are inadequate and lack the holistic management of symptoms so there is an urgent need for new therapies.
About BlueRock Therapeutics LP
BlueRock Therapeutics LP is a clinical stage cell therapy company focused on creating cellular medicines to treat devastating diseases. We are harnessing the power of cell therapy to create a pipeline of new medicines for people suffering from neurological and ophthalmic diseases. Two of our novel investigational cell therapies, bemdaneprocel (BRT-DA01) for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and OpCT-001 for the treatment of primary photoreceptor diseases are clinical stage programs. Bemdaneprocel has RMAT (Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy) and Fast Track designation from the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and is being tested in a Phase III clinical trial, exPDite-2. OpCT-001 has Fast Track designation from the FDA and is being tested in a Phase 1 clinical trial, Clarico. BlueRock was founded in 2016 as a joint venture of Versant Ventures and Leaps by Bayer, the impact investing arm of Bayer AG that invests in paradigm-shifting breakthrough innovation. In late 2019, BlueRock became a wholly owned, independently operated subsidiary of Bayer AG. Our culture is defined by the courage to persist regardless of the challenge, the urgency to transform medicine and deliver hope, integrity guided by mission, and community-mindedness with the understanding that we are all part of something bigger than ourselves. For more information, visit www.bluerocktx.com.
About Bayer
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. In line with its mission, “Health for all, Hunger for none,” the company’s products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2024, the Group employed around 93,000 people and had sales of 46.6 billion euros. R&D expenses amounted to 6.2 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.
Contact for media inquiries BlueRock Therapeutics:
Jeff Lockwood, phone +1 (617) 510.6997
Email: jlockwood@bluerocktx.com
Find more information at www.bluerocktx.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking which may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “anticipate,” “expect”, “believe,” “forecast,” “estimate” and “intend,” among others. These forward-looking statements are based on BlueRock’s current expectations and actual results could differ materially. There are a number of factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the outcomes from our clinical trials and ongoing FDA and other regulatory requirements, and interpretation of data by the FDA. As with any pharmaceutical under development, there are significant risks in the development, regulatory approval and commercialization of new products, and uncertainty in the outcome of clinical trials cannot be avoided. Except as expressly required by law, BlueRock does not undertake an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement. All of BlueRock’s forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by all such risk factors and other cautionary statements. The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date hereof.
Jeff Lockwood BlueRock Therapeutics 617 510 6997 jlockwood@bluerocktx.com
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