Small molecule oligomer antagonist for Alzheimer’s disease boosts brain connectivity
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Results of an ongoing clinical trial showed that an oral, small molecule oligomer antagonist used to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease boosted connectivity between regions of the brain as a promising sign of cognitive improvement.
Cognition Therapeutics Inc. reported in a press release that data from the SEQUEL study demonstrated treatment with its novel lead therapeutic, CT1812, led to consistent improvement across all prespecified electroencephalography (EEG) parameters, including significant positive change in relative theta power in the central region of the brain and AEC-c, which assesses connectivity between brain regions.
SEQUEL is a phase 2 randomized, double-blind, single-site study that measured brain wave patterns in 16 adults with mild to moderate AD after 29 days of treatment with either CT1812 or placebo.
According to additional data cited in the release, treatment with once-daily CT1812 — which penetrates the blood-brain barrier and binds selectively to the sigma-2 receptor complex — produced a consistent reduction in global relative theta power and in relative theta power across all regions of the brain. The treatment also resulted in an increased prominence of slower EEG frequencies associated with AD-related cognitive decline.
CT1812 was also well-tolerated, with mild or moderate treatment-emergent adverse events observed in 11 patients in the CT1812-treatment group compared with six in the placebo group, and no adverse events leading to treatment discontinuation, the company said in the release.
Full data were published in The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease.
”The gradual slowing of brain wave patterns and impaired connectivity that is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease is due to the loss of synapses, which are the connection points between neurons,” Anthony O. Caggiano, MD, PhD, chief medical officer and head of research and development at Cognition Therapeutics, said in the release. “The changes we observed across EEG parameters in SEQUEL may indicate that CT1812 is normalizing brain wave patterns and facilitating communication between different brain regions.”