Use of a rodent neurotoxicity screening battery in the preclinical safety assessment of recombinant-methionyl human brain-derived neurotrophic factor

Recent efforts to evaluate neurobehavioral function in adult rodents as part of preclinical safety studies have typically been directed at evaluating possible environmental neurotoxicants. With considerable basic and clinical research efforts focusing on neurotrophic factors in the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases, the application of these neurobehavioral evaluations is expected to increase. This report describes a six-month safety study of recombinant-methionyl human brain-derived neurotrophic factor (r-metHuBDNF) in rodents that included a neurotoxicity screening battery and was undertaken to evaluate safety issues that might be anticipated in the clinical setting. R-metHuBDNF was well tolerated by rats over six months of daily subcutaneous administration at doses that exceeded the highest anticipated clinical dose by 100-fold. Although statistically significant behavioral changes were noted, they were isolated and not considered to be associated with r-metHuBDNF treatment. We conclude that the inclusion of a neurotoxicity screening battery was an important study parameter in the assessment of the preclinical safety of this neurotrophin.