CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Aquinnah
Pharmaceuticals, a privately held biotechnology company focused on RNA binding proteins for neurodegenerative disease, announced
today that two additional pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) and AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV), have invested in
Aquinnah's work to treat ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), Alzheimer's disease and other
neurodegenerative diseases. This $10 million adds to an earlier $5
million investment made by Takeda Pharmaceuticals in December 2015.
"We are excited to have the support of three world-class pharmaceutical companies to expand our drug development efforts from
ALS into new RNA binding proteins known to modulate Tau, one of the hallmark pathological proteins involved in Alzheimer's
disease," said Glenn Larsen, Ph.D., Aquinnah's President and
Chief Executive Officer.
While the scientific community has spent years studying neurofibrillary tangles and b-amyloid plaques, Dr. Ben Wolozin, M.D., Ph.D., Aquinnah's Chief Scientific Officer, believes the
newly discovered role for RNA binding proteins in the biology of Tau protein provides an essential, previously undetected key to
better understand Alzheimer's disease. "We discovered that RNA binding proteins play a critical role in brain deterioration,
cognitive loss and life expectancy reduction in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease. Targeting these pathways are expected to
yield new therapies for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease."
"There continues to be a substantial need to combat neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease and ALS," said
Scott Brun, M.D., Head, AbbVie Ventures, AbbVie. "Aquinnah's
research approach, developed by world-class scientific and drug development leaders, could offer valuable advances to treat these
debilitating, progressive brain diseases and complements AbbVie's ongoing neuroscience research efforts."
"We believe Aquinnah's novel approach to ALS and Alzheimer's disease is one of the most
promising developments in neurodegenerative disease today. We see the potential for multiple approaches to these diseases based
on the company's work. Neurodegenerative disease remains one of Pfizer's top priorities and we are committed to supporting
Aquinnah's research," said Morris Birnbaum, M.D., Ph.D.,
Senior Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer of Internal Medicine, Pfizer.
Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals is committed to restoring the health of people with ALS, Alzheimer's disease and other
neurodegenerative diseases. The company has developed a revolutionary approach that has the potential to arrest, and
possibly reverse these diseases. Aquinnah was chosen as the Most Innovative Neurodegenerative
Research Company in 2016 by New Economy Magazine. To learn more, please visit: aquinnahpharmaceuticals.com.
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SOURCE Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals