Aquapharm and Dundee University : Research Collaboration to find Marine Compounds to target Alzheimer's

20th September 2010 - Research agreement combines leading expertise to discover marine natural product inhibitors of O-GlcNAcase - Aquapharm Biodiscovery, a leading marine biotechnology company, announced it has signed a research agreement with Dundee University to help it develop new drugs based on marine natural products that may help in the fight against Alzheimer's.
Alzheimer's is a disease marked by the formation of insoluble protein aggregates in the brain with associated progressive degeneration of the neurons. The collaboration is aimed at O-GIcNAcase, a well-documented target for Alzheimer's, that modulates the solubility of the protein in these aggregates but that has been difficult to target with conventional small-molecule libraries. It therefore forms an ideal opportunity to demonstrate that Aquapharm's growing collection of novel and diverse marine-derived compounds and scaffolds can modulate a clinically attractive but pharmacologically challenging target for a disease for which new solutions are urgently required... [PDF] Aquapharm Biodiscovery's Press Release -

Anavex 2-73: Anti-Amnesic and Neuroprotective Data Against Amyloid Toxicity for First of a New Class in Alzheimer’s Disease

Sept. 13, 2010 – Anavex Life Sciences Corp., (“ANAVEX” or the “Company”) (OTCBB: AVXL) announced that the Journal of Psychopharmacology has published an original paper showing that ANAVEX 2-73 and its only and active metabolite ANAVEX 19-144 alleviate neurotoxicity and cognition deficits associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

The paper, titled “Anti-amnesic and neuroprotective potentials of the mixed muscarinic receptor/sigma 1 ligand ANAVEX 2-73, a novel aminotetrahydrofuran derivative”, is available online at sagepub.com and cites biochemical, morphological and behavioral evidence from experiments conducted jointly between INSERM at University of Montpellier 2 and Anavex Life Sciences Corp.

Validated and well-recognized, standard non-transgenic animal models were used to show statistically significant neuroprotective effects via both muscarinic cholinergic and sigma-1 receptor agonism effects.

The authors compare the pharmacological profile of ANAVEX 2-73 to that of donepezil (marketed as ARICEPT(R)), the leading-selling drug approved for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, noting the greater potential benefits of ANAVEX 2-73. Amyloid-beta peptide has been shown to result in mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum stress, intracellular calcium dysregulation leading to oxidative stress and apoptosis (cell death). The authors point to the role of ANAVEX 2-73 in prevention of oxidative stress and apoptosis and other data suggesting modulation of Bcl-2 and reactive oxygen species... Anavex's Press Release -

Addex Pharmaceuticals : Drug Candidate Effective in Alzheimer’s Disease Model

2 September 2010 – Allosteric modulation company Addex Pharmaceuticals Ltd (SIX: ADXN) announced that it has observed efficacy in a model of Alzheimer’s disease using a recently discovered orally-available drug-candidate. The proprietary molecule specifically inhibits a receptor subtype called the metabotropic glutamate receptor 2 (mGluR2) via negative allosteric modulation (NAM). An Addex mGluR2 NAM is scheduled to enter Phase I clinical testing in healthy volunteers during 2011.

“Specifically targeting the signaling of the neurotransmitter glutamate using mGluR2 NAM is one of the most promising avenues of research for treating cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease... Addex Pharmaceuticals' Press Release -

Alectos Therapeutics : Collaboration with Merck to Develop Drugs for Alzheimer’s Disease.

August 11, 2010 - Collaboration Targets a Potential Non-Amyloid Approach to Treating Alzheimer’s Disease – Alectos Therapeutics Inc. announced a research collaboration with Merck, headquartered in Whitehouse Station, N.J., to identify and develop compounds that modulate O linked N-acetylglucosaminidase (O-GlcNAcase) an enzyme that is believed to be involved in the development of Alzheimer’s disease and potentially other disorders. The agreement provides Merck with a worldwide, exclusive license to research, develop and commercialize compounds that modulate this target.
Under the terms of the agreement, Merck has paid Alectos an upfront payment and will fund research to include study of Alectos’ existing portfolio of compounds targeting Alzheimer’s disease. Alectos is eligible to receive a total of US $289 million in an upfront fee, research, development and regulatory milestones and tiered royalty payments on sales of any products resulting from this collaboration.

Alectos and Merck will collaborate on discovery efforts and preclinical development. Merck is responsible for clinical development and will have worldwide marketing and commercialization rights to any resulting products... [PDF] Alectos Therapeutics' Press Release -

Geron : First Human Clinical Trial of Embryonic Stem Cell-Based Therapy and Other Potential Neurological Indications for GRNOPC1

July 30, 2010 - Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has notified the company that the clinical hold placed on Geron's Investigational New Drug (IND) application has been lifted and the company's Phase I clinical trial of GRNOPC1 in patients with acute spinal cord injury may proceed...

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...Additionally, we are now formally exploring the utility of GRNOPC1 in other degenerative CNS disorders including Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis and Canavan disease."...

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Other Potential Neurological Indications for GRNOPC1

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Alzheimer's Disease: Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, fatal, degenerative disorder that attacks the neurons in the brain, resulting in loss of memory, cognitive function such as reasoning and language, and behavioral changes. According to the Alzheimer's Association an estimated five million people in the United States have Alzheimer's disease. GRNOPC1 is being evaluated in animal models of Alzheimer's disease in collaboration with Professor Frank M. LaFerla, Director of the Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND) at the University of California, Irvine...Geron's Press Release -