|
 Axon Neuroscience said its AADvac1 drug, which targets pathological
changes in the brain to the so-called tau protein that is a hallmark
of the disease, slowed deterioration in trial patients when compared
with a reference group given a placebo.
The search for an effective drug against Alzheimer's dementia, which
affects about 5.8 million Americans, has so far resulted in a string
of high-profile failures, many in the third and last phase, despite
the involvement of several major pharmaceutical players.
The close-to-200 participants in the Axon trial, in eight European
countries, were between 50 and 85 years of age and had shown early
signs of the disease, which affects memory and language as it
progresses.
Among younger participants in the trial, a number of assessments of
cognitive abilities, including memory, orientation and performing
everyday tasks, showed "positive signals" for those on AADvac1
versus those that were not, Axon said.
A blood test measuring neurodegeneration, known as Neurofilament
Light Chain (NfL), indicated a "marked slowdown" of deterioration
across the age range, it said, adding that the reading was
statistically reliable.
The trial was in the second of three phases of testing typically
required for regulatory approval.
Axon would now look to sign a collaboration agreement with a global
drug company to fund larger trials in the third phase of testing,
which is typically the most costly, it said.
AADvac1 was shown to be safe and well-tolerated in the 24-month
trial, Axon added.
"These results, which strongly reveal a disease-modifying effect on
the disease, underpin our confidence to take the next steps in
bringing a life-changing treatment to patients as soon as possible,"
Chief Executive Michal Fresser said in the statement.
Axon was established in 1999 with Slovakian neuroscientist Michal
Novak, who had previously worked at the University of Cambridge,
among other institutions, as a co-founder.
[to top of second column] |
Backed by Slovakian businessman Mario Hoffmann, Axon has a staff of
about 110, most of whom are based in Bratislava.
Finding an effective treatment for Alzheimer's is a compelling
target for drugmakers, as the numbers affected across the globe
swell with an aging population.
Among the most recent setbacks in the search for a cure, Biogen and
partner Eisai ended two late-stage trials in March, wiping billions
off their market value. Similarly, Roche and partner AC Immune SA in
January gave up on two trials they had held high hopes for.
The failures undermined the so-called amyloid beta treatment
hypothesis, in which protein plaques in the brain are believed to
play a pivotal role in the disease.
Attempts to target tau, another protein that is more closely linked
with the onset of Alzheimer's symptoms, have come to the fore but
trials are at early stages.
Companies with tau drugs in development include Roche, AC Immune,
Biogen and Eli Lilly.
Alzheimer's treatments currently available can only ease the
symptoms of the disease, without slowing progression.
AADvac1 is designed to prevent malformed tau proteins from spreading
and sticking together in Alzheimer's patients' brains, keeping them
from forming tangles that disrupt signaling between nerve cells.
(Reporting by Ludwig Burger; Editing by Alex Richardson)
[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
 |
