NicOx's Alzheimer Drug Candidate Shown to Reduce Key Component of Alzheimer's Disease
SOPHIA ANTIPOLIS, France, April 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- NicOx S.A. (Nouveau Marche: NICOX) today announced that HCT 1026, NicOx's novel NO-donating derivative of flurbiprofen, was found to significantly reduce beta-amyloid deposition in the brain of a mouse model of Alzheimer's Disease, the most common form of dementia in the elderly. The results will be presented at the Symposium on Neuroinflammation as a Therapeutic Target in Neurodegeneration (Catania, Italy, May 17).
The study was conducted by Dr. Thomas van Groen and his group at the University of Kuopio, Finland, who have a long-standing expertise on brain pathology in mice bearing the mutated genes of beta-amyloid precursor protein and presenilin-1 (APPswe x PSA246E strain). During aging, the brains of these mice develop deposits of beta-amyloid, a key hallmark of Alzheimer's Disease.
HCT 1026 was administered as part of the diet for a period of six months, starting at eight months of age, prior to plaque formation. Treatment with HCT 1026 produced a significant decrease in beta-amyloid peptide42 (Ab42) deposition in the dorsal hippocampus, an important area for cognitive function which is primarily affected by beta-amyloid deposits early in the disease process. The effects were significant for both diffuse and dense plaques. The beta-amyloid deposits were reduced in size and had fewer inflammatory markers surrounding them, an indicator of decreased toxicity of those amyloid deposits that were present. No signs of side effects, such as noticeable changes of behavior, were observed during the treatment period. Body weight gain, which is usually adversely affected by gastrointestinal lesions, was normal.
Professor Thomas van Groen, Senior Researcher and Professor of Neurobiology at the University of Kuopio, Finland, commented : "These data show that long-term treatment with HCT 1026 leads to a reduction of the beta-amyloid pathology, which is a major component of Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore, HCT 1026 was very well tolerated with no signs of side effects. Overall, these results suggest that HCT 1026 may have potential in the reduction of a key pathological event in the brain of AD patients."
The research followed the decision of the steering committee of the American National Institute on Aging (NIA) Interventions Testing Program (ITP) to select HCT 1026 as one of four compounds for studies on longevity in mice. HCT 1026 was considered particularly interesting because of its well- established anti-inflammatory properties and its safety profile, which has been documented in a wide range of studies. While reference non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including flurbiprofen, produce a variety of side effects, particularly in the gastrointestinal tract, thanks to the cytoprotective properties of nitric oxide, HCT 1026 has been found to be safe in a variety of studies in animal models and clinical studies.
The choice of HCT 1026, among the many non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) available, reinforces the concept that the release of nitric oxide is bringing significant beneficial effects for both safety and activity to well established drugs.
NicOx S.A. is an emerging pharmaceutical company involved in the research and development of nitric oxide-donating drugs with superior efficacy and safety profiles in the inflammation, pain and cardiovascular therapeutic areas.
NicOx seeks to commercialize its products through partnerships and co-development agreements where it maintains future marketing rights for specialist products.
NicOx, (Bloomberg: COX:FP, Reuters: NCOX.LN), headquartered in Sophia-Antipolis, France, is a public company listed on the Nouveau Marche of Euronext Paris... |
