Exploratory central nervous system analysis shows that ACD856 increases activity in the brain.

AlzeCure – a company that develops a broad portfolio of small molecule candidate drugs for diseases affecting the central nervous system – has announced that the company has received new data from its clinical phase 1 study.

The research involves the repeated dosing of drug candidate ACD856, which is being developed against Alzheimer’s disease and other indications with cognitive dysfunction.

New data from a planned exploratory analysis of the study shows that ACD856 increases activity in the brain. A clear difference can be seen after and prior to the administration of the substance. This result, combined with previously reported data, demonstrates that the substance not only crosses the blood-brain barrier but also reaches and activates neural pathways in the brain, with the potential of having positive effects on cognition.

The MAD phase 1 study is AlzeCure’s third clinical study with ACD856, the company’s leading drug candidate within the NeuroRestore platform. The substance is under development as a symptom-relieving treatment for medical conditions where cognitive ability is impaired, notably in Alzheimer’s disease.

The primary study objective was to evaluate the drug candidate’s tolerability and safety after repeated dosing. As previously reported, ACD856 shows good safety and tolerability in both the SAD and MAD studies.

ACD856 and the other substances in the NeuroRestore platform stimulate several important signalling systems in the brain such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor, which can lead to improved cognition – something that has been demonstrated in previous preclinical studies.

“This new data is very promising and show that the substance reaches and activates neural pathways in the brain, whose normal function is disrupted in diseases such as Alzheimer’s,” reflected Johan Sandin, chief scientific officer at AlzeCure Pharma.