Pittsburgh, March 14, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cognition Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical stage neuroscience company focused on the development of innovative therapeutics for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurocognitive disorders, today announced that the company’s co-founder and chief science officer, Dr. Susan Catalano, is presenting Phase 1b/2a results demonstrating the unique synaptoprotective mechanism of action of the company’s Alzheimer’s disease candidate, Elayta™ (CT1812). Dr. Catalano is presenting these data as part of a late-breaking symposium at the joint meeting of the International Geneva/Springfield Symposium on Advances in Alzheimer Therapy (AAT) and the International Conference on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases and Related Neurological Disorders (AD/PD) in Torino March 15-18, 2018.
Presentation details
Symposium: Symposium Late Breaking 1 - Clinical Trials in AD, PD, and Progressive Supranuclear
Title: Evidence for CT1812 Synaptic Protection in AD Patients: Phase 1b/2a Trial Biomarker Analysis
Authors: Catalano SM, Schneider LS, DeKosky S, Morgan R, Rehak C, Silky C, Mozzoni K, Izzo NJ, Grundman M, Schirm M, Guilbaud R, Watson M, Chelsky D, Davis C, Zetterberg H, Blennow K
Date/Time: March 15, 2018 from 11:20 - 11:40am
Location: Sala 500, Centro Congressi Lingotto, Torino, Italy
Alzheimer’s disease patients experience a degeneration of dendritic spines and synapses, caused in part by the binding of toxic Aβ oligomers. Neurogranin and synaptotagmin-1, proteins that are important for normal synapse function, are key biomarkers of synaptic degeneration. According to the medical literature, concentrations of these proteins are elevated 27% and 52%, respectively, in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of Alzheimer’s patients compared to age-matched, cognitively normal individuals as a result of CNS synaptic damage due to the disease.
In this 28-day Phase 1b/2 clinical study (COG0102), mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s patients treated with Elayta experienced significantly reduced CSF concentrations of neurogranin and synaptotagmin-1 compared to patients treated with a placebo. The reductions of these proteins observed in Elayta-treated patients were greater and occurred more rapidly than those reported for other Alzheimer’s disease candidates. These results are consistent with a positive effect on synapses and with Elayta’s synaptoprotective mechanism of action. Study COG0102 was supported in part under Award Number RF1AG054176 from The National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health.
Cognition plans to initiate several clinical studies in 2018, to identify CSF oligomers as a pharmacodynamic biomarker of Elayta target engagement in Alzheimer’s disease patients; and to correlate synapse number, CSF protein expression and cognitive performance. More details on these and other clinical studies will be forthcoming.
About Elayta (CT1812)
Cognition’s lead product candidate, Elayta (CT1812), is a highly brain penetrant small molecule with a unique disease-modifying synaptoprotective mechanism of action. This orally dosed drug candidate protects synapses by selectively displacing toxic beta amyloid (Aβ) oligomers from their synaptic receptors, thus stopping downstream damage. Elayta has been shown in preclinical models of Alzheimer’s disease to restore synapse numbers and improve memory function. Consistent with these findings, Cognition’s Phase 1b/2a clinical trial (COG0102) demonstrated that Elayta significantly reduces concentrations of synapse damage proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid of Alzheimer’s patients. Elayta is currently in Phase 2 clinical testing for mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease and has been granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. FDA.
About Cognition Therapeutics, Inc.
Cognition Therapeutics is a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing a pipeline of disease modifying small molecule drug candidates to treat neurocognitive disorders. Cognition’s lead candidate, Elayta, is a proprietary first-in-class, orally available small molecule in development for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Elayta and Cognition’s other pipeline candidates were identified using the company’s disease-relevant screening and novel chemistry platforms. Additional information about Cognition and its product candidates may be found online at http://www.cogrx.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” concerning the development and commercialization of Cognition’s products, the potential benefits and attributes of such products, and Cognition’s expectations regarding its prospects. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause actual future events or results to differ materially from such statements. These statements are made as of the date of this press release. Actual results may vary. Cognition undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements for any reason.