Tiziana Life Sciences receives $4M from NIH to advance intranasal Alzheimer’s therapy

A New York-based biotechnology company has received a $4 million grant from the NIH’s National Institute on Aging to advance a novel intranasal therapeutic to treat Alzheimer’s disease, according to a press release from the manufacturer.

Tiziana Life Sciences announced that foralumab, a fully human, anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody, will be investigated in a clinical trial led by Howard L. Weiner, MD, chairman of Tiziana’s scientific advisory board and co-director of the Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where the trial will be conducted.

Tiziana said in the release that it plans to commence first in-human clinical trials of the proprietary intranasal formulation in the next several months.

“Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting more than 6 million people in the United States alone. Despite extensive research, effective treatments remain limited, and the need for innovative therapeutic approaches is urgent,” Weiner said in the release.

The company also said it plans to utilize the grant to investigate anti-CD3’s potential in reducing neuroinflammation and slowing disease progression. Tiziana’s proprietary anti-CD3 intranasal formulation of foralumab binds to T-cell receptors, which in turn stimulate T-regulatory cells for delivery to the central nervous system while dampening inflammatory responses, per the release.

“We are thrilled to be able to progress our pipeline with this prestigious NIH grant, which underscores the potential of our anti-CD3 therapy to address a critical unmet need in Alzheimer’s disease,” Ivor Elrifi, CEO of Tiziana Life Sciences, said in the release. “This funding will enable us to expand our research and move one step closer to developing a new therapeutic option for patients and families impacted by this debilitating condition.”