Anavex Life Sciences has announced promising findings from a recent phase 2b/3 trial of its investigational
drug, blarcamesine (ANAVEX2-73), in patients with early Alzheimer’s disease.
The study, which enrolled 508 participants, demonstrated significant reductions
in amyloid-ß biomarkers and slowed neurodegeneration.
The trial was conducted across 52 medical centers in five countries, with participants
receiving either blarcamesine or a placebo over 48 weeks. The primary outcomes
were measured using the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive
(ADAS-Cog) and Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living
(ADCS-ADL) subscales.
According to Anavex Life Sciences, the results showed significant improvements in
cognitive and functional metrics. The blarcamesine group exhibited a notable
increase in the plasma Aβ42/40 ratio, indicating a reduction in amyloid-ß
pathology. MRI scans further supported these findings, revealing a significant
slowing of brain atrophy.
“This study offers hope for new treatments that target the underlying mechanisms of Alzheimer’s
beyond amyloid,” stated Marwan Noel Sabbagh, MD, a professor of neurology and
chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board.
The trial’s safety profile was also considered favorable. Dizziness was the most common adverse
event, occurring in 35.8% of the blarcamesine group during titration and 25.2%
during maintenance, compared to 6% and 5.6% in the placebo group, respectively.
Other adverse events were generally mild to moderate in severity.
Christopher U Missling, PhD, President and CEO of Anavex, expressed gratitude to
the study participants and researchers. “Our findings underscore the potential
of blarcamesine as a convenient oral treatment for Alzheimer’s disease,” he remarked.
With these encouraging results, Anavex plans to advance the development of blarcamesine, aiming to provide a
new therapeutic option for Alzheimer’s patients. Further studies are
anticipated to validate these findings and explore the long-term benefits of
this promising treatment.
Refer to this article to learn more.
More about Anavex on https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/AVXL:US