FDA approves further clincial testing NEW YORK, July 03, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 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, Rett syndrome and other central nervous system (CNS) diseases, today announced that the Company has received approval by the Australian Human Research Ethics Committee to initiate its Phase 2b/3 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 48-week safety and efficacy trial of ANAVEX®2-73 for the treatment of early Alzheimer’s disease. The Phase 2b/3 study is scheduled to initiate enrollment of approximately 450 patients, randomized 1:1:1 to two different ANAVEX®2-73 doses or placebo within the next month. As part of the planned international study, North American sites will be added.
“We are extremely pleased to gain approval to initiate the ANAVEX®2-73 Phase 2b/3 study for the treatment of early Alzheimer’s disease, an area of very high unmet need for the growing number of patients around the world,” said Christopher U Missling, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Anavex.
The ANAVEX®2-73 Phase 2b/3 study design includes genomic precision medicine biomarkers identified in the ANAVEX®2-73 Phase 2a study. Primary and secondary endpoints will assess safety and both cognitive and functional efficacy, measured through ADAS-Cog, ADCS-ADL and CDR-SB. ANAVEX®2-73 Phase 2a Alzheimer’s disease study previously demonstrated dose dependent improvement in exploratory endpoints of cognition (MMSE) and function (ADCS-ADL).
About ANAVEX®2-73
ANAVEX®2-73 activates the Sigma-1 receptor (S1R) protein, which serves as a molecular chaperone and functional modulator involved in restoring homeostasis. S1R activation has demonstrated ability to reduce key pathophysiological signs of Alzheimer’s disease: beta amyloid, hyperphosphorylated tau, and increased inflammation. In a Phase 2a Alzheimer’s disease study, ANAVEX®2-73 has shown dose dependent improvement in exploratory endpoints of cognition (MMSE) and function (ADCS-ADL). Full genomic analysis of ANAVEX®2-73 Phase 2a Alzheimer’s disease patients was performed. The ANAVEX®2-73 Phase 2b/3 study design includes genomic precision medicine biomarkers identified in the ANAVEX®2-73 Phase 2a study.
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 a successful 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. ANAVEX®2-73 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 previously awarded Anavex a research grant to develop ANAVEX®2-73 for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. The grant fully funded a preclinical study, which could justify moving ANAVEX®2-73 into a Parkinson’s disease clinical trial. ANAVEX®3-71, which targets sigma-1 and M1 muscarinic receptors, is a promising preclinical drug candidate demonstrating disease-modifying activity against the major hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease in transgenic (3xTg-AD) mice, including cognitive deficits, amyloid and tau pathologies. In preclinical trials, ANAVEX®3-71 has shown beneficial effects on neuroinflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction. Further information is available at www.anavex.com. You can also connect with the company on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.