AlzeCure Pharma Today Presented Key Preclinical Data on its Novel Cognitive Enhancer at the AAT-AD/PD Conference

STOCKHOLM, April 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- AlzeCure Pharma AB (publ) (FN STO: ALZCUR) today had a late breaking presentation at the AAT-AD/PD conference (Advances in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Therapies), which this year is kept completely digital as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. These interesting preclinical data support further clinical development of the lead candidate drug ACD856.

Dr. Pontus Forsell, Head of Discovery at AlzeCure Pharma and the lead author of the study presented his oral presentation today, April 2, at 5.10 pm CET. The title of it is ACD856, a positive modulator of neurotrophin signaling reverses scopolamine- or age-induced cognitive deficits.

ACD856 presentation - highlights:

• ACD856 is a positive modulator of neurotrophin signaling; systems that play a critical role in synaptic plasticity and cognitive function
• ACD856 is more potent in vitro and in vivo than its predecessor, ACD855
• ACD856 significantly increases the levels of key neurotransmitters in the hippocampus - an area known to play a critical role in memory processing
• ACD856 improves memory in animals through different processes, including  consolidation and retrieval of memory
• ACD856 is able to fully reverse an age-induced cognitive impairment to a level comparable to young animals - key data strongly support its further development as a cognitive enhancer
• ACD856 displays good pharmacokinetic properties and bioavailability in animals, making it a suitable clinical candidate
• ACD856 is currently in early clinical development as a cognitive enhancer for treatment of cognitive disorders, including but not limited to Alzheimer's disease - areas of great unmet medical need

"Based on the potent memory enhancing effect and the promising pharmacokinetic properties of the compound, we look forward to the clinical development of ACD856. These are important steps for AlzeCure Pharma in an area of large unmet medical need", commented Dr. Forsell. 

"These are very interesting preclinical data that support further clinical development of ACD856. Given the huge unmet medical need in this area, novel symptomatic treatments will be a critical part of our future medical toolbox", said Bengt Winblad, Professor in Geriatrics at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

To speed up the clinical development of ACD856, and ensure confidence in the clincal candidate, the pharmacokinetic properties are currently being assessed in a clinical study, focusing on half-life. Results are expected in the first half of 2020. Further clinical Phase I studies will be initiated in the second half of 2020, with the aim to evaluate the candidate's safety and tolerability, as well as early efficacy endpoints (cognition).