Biogen using Brain Resource Co platform

Sydney-based Brain Resource Company (ASX:BRC) has cracked into the biotechnology sector with a deal to provide its profiles of brain function and cognition to Biogen in the United States.

Biogen will use BRC's standardised, evidence-based profiles to explore the effects on brain function of a new product for multiple sclerosis.

The company declined to reveal the value of the contract, which was struck through BRC's Rhode Island franchise.

CEO Dr Evian Gordon said Biogen would be using the Australian company's standardised integrated work-ups of the brain as well as psychophysiological tests as part of the MS study.

"The important thing in multiple sclerosis is that you get patchy disturbances on the fatty sheath that surrounds the brain's nerves," Gordon said. "This means that the speed with which information is transferred in the brain's nerves are interrupted and treatments need to look for ways to compensate for that."

Using BRC technology, Biogen will be able to examine the effect of the trial compound on patients' brains in a "fraction of a second" time scale, BRC said.

Gordon said another element of the technology Biogen will use will enable the company to look at flow on effects of the treatment on things such as memory and attention.

"Up to now we have really just worked with major pharmaceutical companies," Gordon said. "But we are an innovative company looking at new ways to analyse the brain, and so biotechnology is a good way to go.

"Having a profile approach to electrical brain function as well as a profile of real-world functions on the brain is something that would be very important to the biotechnology industry."

BRC shares were unchanged at 45 cents at the time of writing.