CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts,
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.