CLARKSVILLE, Md., Jan. 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Neuronascent Inc., a privately-held neuron regeneration therapeutics company, today announced the publication of results of their novel pharmacotherapy: NNI-362 to allosterically stimulate neural regeneration in human cultures and in vivo models of aging and disease. This small molecule therapy is presently in Phase 1 clinical trial for mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which is supported by a NIA R01 grant in healthy aged volunteers.
The short report in the Stem Cell Research & Therapy journal https://doi.org/10.1186/s13287-020-02126-3 entitled “Novel pharmacotherapy: NNI-362, an allosteric p70S6 kinase stimulator, reverses cognitive and neural regenerative deficits in models of aging and disease”, describes the phenotypic screen used by Neuronascent to discover NNI-362 and details the in vitro and in vivo results of this drug. Key to its efficacy is the unique allosteric mechanism-of-action to reverse neural cell formation and survival deficit in the hippocampus in both extreme aging and in a model of degeneration. “NNI-362 was discovered and is being developed to actually cure age-related neurodegenerative disorders, by replacing lost neurons and ensuring these adult-born neurons survive even in disease,” said founder and CEO, Judith Kelleher-Andersson, Ph.D. Kelleher-Andersson stated she was initially surprised when elucidating the mechanism-of-action of NNI-362 in early neural progenitor cells and later in fully differentiated neurons, where an allosteric stimulation of the pleiotropic kinase, p70S6 kinase, by NNI-362 appears to promulgate the regenerative capacity even under extreme aging. NNI-362 is highly selective kinase stimulator and this mechanism-of-action avoids the safety concerns seen with many kinase inhibitors.
Alzheimer’s is a disease of aging, the greatest risk-factor, but there is not a single therapy available to halt or reverse this chronic neurodegenerative disorder. There is a great need for a disease-modifying treatment for the 5.3 million patients, in the US alone, already suffering from the disorder. Dr. R. Scott Turner, MD, PhD, a neurologist and Director of the Memory Disorders Program at Georgetown University and the newest member of Neuronascent’s Scientific Advisory Board stated, “Research to discover treatments for Alzheimer’s disease’s cognitive decline with aging and dementia should not be restricted to anti-amyloid approaches. Instead, we must seek multiple novel treatment strategies – particularly those with the potential to preserve and even restore cognitive function that is lost with aging. The innovative therapy developed by Neuronascent (NNI-362) shows promising results in animal models of aging and disease as it moves forward toward proof-of-concept clinical trials.”
Neuronascent expects that NNI-362 will provide benefit for any number of age-related disorders beyond just Alzheimer’s; that is, those disorders that occur due to lack or loss of adult-born neurons in cognitive and motor regions of the brain. There are two neurogenic niches in the brain – the hippocampus and the subventricular zone – where NNI-362 should manifest its ability to promote new neuron generation to enhance and replace age-related neuron deficits.
About NNI-362
NNI-362 is Neuronascent’s lead patented therapeutic aimed at reversing age-related disorders by producing new neurons to replace those lost in chronic neurodegenerative disorders and in aging. Orally delivered NNI-362 is currently in a NIA-supported and FDA-cleared Phase 1a clinical trial in healthy aged volunteers to assess safety and pharmacokinetics.
About Neuronascent, Inc.
Neuronascent was founded to discover and develop novel therapies to halt and/or reverse diseases of the central nervous system, an area of vast unmet need. Through its proprietary phenotypic screening platform, Neuronascent has discovered a pipeline of small molecule oral regenerative candidates with patents issued.
Please Contact knarducy@neuronascent.com or investrelate@neuronascent.com
Safe Harbor Statement
This release contains forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are commonly identified by words such as “would,” “may,” “will,” “expects,” and other terms with similar meaning. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs, assumptions and expectations and speak only as of the date of this release and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.