Question-and-Answer Session
Operator
(Operator instructions) Your first question comes from Charles Duncan with JMP Securities.
Charles Duncan – JMP Securities
Congratulations on some good progress in the quarter and that’s for taking the call. I had a first question about the balance sheet. Can you give us a little bit of insight on the $7.6 million worth of R&D spend, approximately how much of that is spent in the diabetic neuropathy program?
Ward Wolff
Charles is Wars here, yes. I know we disclosed that, we do the annual filing of the 10-K, and we don’t give specific updates on that during the quarters, but I think you can assume that it’s in the neighborhood of 50%, the R&D spent.
Charles Duncan – JMP Securities
So, 50% or so of the R&D spent on diabetic neuropathy and your guidance on cash, thanks to Tom for the update on that. That assumes that you are prosecuting all the current diabetic neuropathy trials, correct?
Ward Wolff
That’s correct.
Charles Duncan – JMP Securities
If I could ask a question on the ALS program, I’m sure it was covered, but Dale was quick. Could you give us a little bit more information on the dosing regiment? I’m not sure, if I missed it, the frequency of dosing and then where the doses will be given?
Edward Lanphier
Basically, we are using our top dose, which is 60 milligrams. Half of the patients will be injected in the legs exactly as they are diabetic neuropathy and the rest of the patients will be injected into the regional, muscles of these parts of the spinal cord that are most effected by ALS in general. So, the upper cervical segments, the limbs, so the upper arms, which cover the upper thoracic segments and then in the legs, which cover the lumbar region.
The idea here is that, we are saturating the muscle with the VEGF zinc finger, expressing VEGF and that basically being taken up by the nerves that are just basically traversing or inserting into the muscle.
Charles Duncan – JMP Securities
Okay. That makes sense, and then are you’re injecting these weekly, monthly, onetime?
Edward Lanphier
We are injecting twice.
Charles Duncan – JMP Securities
And then how long is the observation period of this study?
Edward Lanphier
We will be following them for a year.
Charles Duncan – JMP Securities
Okay good it’s a neat design. Then just one quick question on the Dow business development activities, I am sure you are not in a position to talk about them, but can you talk it all about any scientific progress on the Dow firm?
- To read the full transcript on Seeking Alpha, click here »
