Anavex Life Sciences Announces Additional Data at The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s Parkinson's Disease Therapeutics Conferen...
October 30 2017 - 7:00AM
ANAVEX®2-73 Shown to have Neurorestorative
Effects in a Model for Experimental Parkinsonism
Anavex Life Sciences Corp. (Anavex or the Company) (Nasdaq:AVXL), a
clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing differentiated
therapeutics for the treatment of neurodegenerative and
neurodevelopmental diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, other
central nervous system (CNS) diseases, pain and various types of
cancer, today announced additional data for ANAVEX®2-73 in a model
for experimental parkinsonism. The data will be shown today at the
Michael J. Fox Foundation’s Parkinson's Disease Therapeutics
Conference taking place at Convene Midtown East, New York City in a
poster titled, “ANAVEX2-73, a clinical Alzheimer drug candidate,
induces neurorestoration in experimental parkinsonism.”
The study’s principle investigators, Veronica
Francardo, PhD and Angela Cenci, MD, PhD, Professor of Experimental
Medical Research at Lund University, Sweden, stated, “These new
results indicate that ANAVEX2-73 has robust neurorestorative
effects on the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway in all doses
tested. The encouraging results we have gathered in this model,
coupled with the favorable profile of this compound in the
Alzheimer’s disease trial, support the notion that ANAVEX2-73 is a
promising clinical candidate drug for Parkinson’s disease.”
It was previously shown that ANAVEX2-73
significantly promotes recovery of motor functions (p<0.05),
induces higher levels of striatal dopamine fibers (p<0.05) and
reduces microglial activation (p<0.05) in a mouse model of
nigrostriatal dopaminergic degeneration relevant to Parkinson's
disease.
A consistent abnormality in Parkinson's disease
is degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra,
leading to a reduction of dopamine axon fibers and dopamine levels
in the striatum. As tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) catalyzes the
formation of L-DOPA, the rate-limiting step in the biosynthesis of
dopamine, tyrosine hydroxylase-deficiency levels are correlated
with the severity of parkinson-like motor deficits.
The additional data reveals that ANAVEX2-73 not
only seems to have a wide dose-response profile but also activates
neuroplasticity mechanisms and exerts noticeable neurorestorative
effects on striatal dopamine axon fibers. This was confirmed by
expression of a marker of axonal regeneration in the striatum,
Growth Associated Protein 43 (GAP43), being co-localized with TH,
which was only found in the ANAVEX2-73-treated animal cohorts but
not in the control cohort.
Further analyses are ongoing in order to better
understand the underlying mechanisms that contribute to the
neurorestorative properties of ANAVEX2-73.
The study is supported by The Michael J. Fox
Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
“These findings are very encouraging and support
our strategy to initiate a randomized and placebo controlled phase
2 study in Parkinson's disease with ANAVEX2-73,” said Christopher
U. Missling, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of
Anavex.
About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for
Parkinson’s Research
As the world’s largest non-profit funder of
Parkinson’s research, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to
accelerating a cure for Parkinson’s disease and improved therapies
for those living with the condition today. The Foundation pursues
its goals through an aggressively funded, highly targeted research
program coupled with active global engagement of scientists,
Parkinson’s patients, business leaders, clinical trial
participants, donors and volunteers. In addition to funding more
than $700 million in research to date, the Foundation has
fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure.
Operating at the hub of worldwide Parkinson’s research, the
Foundation forges ground breaking collaborations with industry
leaders, academic scientists and government research funders;
increases the flow of participants into Parkinson’s disease
clinical trials with its online tool, Fox Trial Finder; promotes
Parkinson’s awareness through high-profile advocacy, events and
outreach; and coordinates the grassroots involvement of thousands
of Team Fox members around the world.
About Anavex Life Sciences Corp.
Anavex Life Sciences Corp. (Nasdaq:AVXL) is a
publicly traded biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the
development of differentiated therapeutics for the treatment of
neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental diseases including
Alzheimer’s disease, other central nervous system (CNS) diseases,
pain and various types of cancer. Anavex’s lead drug candidate,
ANAVEX®2-73, recently completed successfully a Phase 2a clinical
trial for Alzheimer’s disease. ANAVEX®2-73 is an orally available
drug candidate that restores cellular homeostasis by targeting
sigma-1 and muscarinic receptors. Preclinical studies demonstrated
its potential to halt and/or reverse the course of Alzheimer’s
disease. It has also exhibited anticonvulsant, anti-amnesic,
neuroprotective and anti-depressant properties in animal models,
indicating its potential to treat additional CNS disorders,
including epilepsy. The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s
Research has awarded Anavex a research grant to develop ANAVEX®2-73
for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease to fully fund a
preclinical study, which could justify moving ANAVEX®2-73 into a
Parkinson’s disease clinical trial. ANAVEX®3-71, also targeting
sigma-1 and M1 muscarinic receptors, is a promising preclinical
drug candidate demonstrating disease modifications against the
major Alzheimer’s hallmarks in transgenic (3xTg-AD) mice, including
cognitive deficits, amyloid and tau pathologies, and also with
beneficial effects on neuroinflammation and mitochondrial
dysfunctions. Further information is available at www.anavex.com.
You can also connect with the company on Twitter, Facebook and
LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not
strictly historical in nature are forward-looking statements. These
statements are only predictions based on current information and
expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties.
Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected
in any of such statements due to various factors, including the
risks set forth in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form
10-K filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as
of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in
their entirety by this cautionary statement and Anavex Life
Sciences Corp. undertakes no obligation to revise or update this
press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date
hereof.
For Further Information:Anavex Life Sciences
Corp.Research & Business DevelopmentToll-free:
1-844-689-3939Email: info@anavex.com
Investors & Media:Clayton RobertsonThe Trout Group(646)
378-2900crobertson@troutgroup.com
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