Anavex Life Sciences Receives Michael J. Fox Foundation Grant for Clinical Study of ANAVEX®2-73 (blarcamesine) in People wit...
January 11 2021 - 7:00AM
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 disorders including Alzheimer’s disease,
Parkinson’s disease, Rett syndrome and other central nervous system
(CNS) disorders, today announced that it has been awarded a
research grant of $995,862.51 from The Michael J. Fox Foundation
for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) to develop ANAVEX®2-73
(blarcamesine) for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. The award
will explore utilization of PET imaging biomarkers to enable
measurement of target engagement and pathway activation of the
sigma-1 receptor (SIGMAR1) with clinically relevant doses in people
with Parkinson’s disease.
MJFF previously awarded Anavex a research grant,
which fully funded a preclinical study that established ANAVEX®2-73
as a potentially disease-modifying treatment for Parkinson’s
disease. Anavex is working toward the goal of confirming
ANAVEX®2-73 as a disease-modifying intervention for Parkinson’s
disease in clinical trials.
Parkinson’s disease is the second most common
neurodegenerative disease and affects more than 10 million people
worldwide.1
“Patients’ greatest unmet need is a therapy to
slow or stop Parkinson’s progression, and our Foundation’s mission
is to drive research closer to those treatments,” said Marco
Baptista, PhD, Vice President of MJFF Research Programs.
“ANAVEX®2-73 presents a promising approach, and we are glad to
support its testing in these milestone first Parkinson’s
trials.”
“We are extremely proud to have the support of
MJFF for our ANAVEX®2-73 program, which allows Anavex to take the
next step towards the potential to offer patients disease-modifying
intervention for Parkinson’s disease patients,” stated Christopher
U. Missling, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Anavex.
“We appreciate MJFF’s continued funding as we collectively work
toward solutions for this disease.”
ANAVEX®2-73 activates the sigma-1 receptor (SIGMAR1). Data
suggests that activation of the sigma-1 receptor (SIGMAR1) is
pivotal to restoring neural cell homeostasis and promoting
neuroplasticity.2
About Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson’s disease is a chronic and progressive
neurological disorder that is characterized by well-known motor
symptoms including tremors, stiffness of limbs, slowness of
movements, and difficulties with posture and balance, as well as by
non-motor symptoms. It is the second most common neurological
disorder and approximately one million people in the United States,
and more that 10 million people worldwide, live with this disease.
Parkinson’s disease is more common in people over 60 years of age
and its prevalence is expected to increase significantly as the
average age of the population increases. Current Parkinson’s
treatments are only effective in managing symptoms of the disease,
mainly through the use of levodopa and dopamine agonists. As the
disease progresses and dopaminergic neurons continue to be lost,
these drugs eventually become less effective at treating the
symptoms.
About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for
Parkinson's Research
As the world's largest nonprofit funder of
Parkinson's research, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to
accelerating a cure for Parkinson's disease and improved therapies
for those living with the condition today. The Foundation pursues
its goals through an aggressively funded, highly targeted research
program coupled with active global engagement of scientists,
Parkinson's patients, business leaders, clinical trial
participants, donors and volunteers. In addition to funding $1
billion in research to date, the Foundation has fundamentally
altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure. Operating at the
hub of worldwide Parkinson's research, the Foundation forges
groundbreaking collaborations with industry leaders, academic
scientists and government research funders; increases the flow of
participants into Parkinson's disease clinical trials with its
online tool, Fox Trial Finder; promotes Parkinson's awareness
through high-profile advocacy, events and outreach; and coordinates
the grassroots involvement of thousands of Team Fox members around
the world.
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 disorders including
Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Rett syndrome and other
central nervous system (CNS) diseases, pain and various types of
cancer. Anavex’s lead drug candidate, ANAVEX®2-73 (blarcamesine),
recently completed successfully a Phase 2a clinical trials for
Alzheimer’s disease and a Phase 2 proof-of-concept study in
Parkinson’s disease dementia and a Phase 2 study in adult patients
with Rett syndrome. 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, which fully
funded a preclinical study to develop ANAVEX®2-73 for the treatment
of Parkinson’s disease. ANAVEX®3-71, which targets sigma-1 and
muscarinic receptors, is a promising clinical stage 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
mitochondrial dysfunction and neuroinflammation. Further
information is available at www.anavex.com. You can also connect
with the company on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not
strictly historical in nature are forward-looking statements. These
statements are only predictions based on current information and
expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties.
Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected
in any of such statements due to various factors, including the
risks set forth in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form
10-K filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as
of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in
their entirety by this cautionary statement and Anavex Life
Sciences Corp. undertakes no obligation to revise or update this
press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date
hereof.
For Further Information:
Anavex Life Sciences Corp.Research &
Business DevelopmentToll-free: 1-844-689-3939Email:
info@anavex.com
Investors:Andrew J.
BarwickiInvestor Relations
Tel: 516-662-9461Email: andrew@barwicki.com
Media:Melyssa WeibleElixir
Health Public RelationsTel: 201-723-5805Email:
mweible@elixirhealthpr.com
1 www.parkinson.org/2 Advances in Experimental Medicine and
Biology Volume 964 (2017) Sigma Receptors: Their Role in Disease
and as Therapeutic Targets.
Anavex Life Sciences (NASDAQ:AVXL)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
Anavex Life Sciences (NASDAQ:AVXL)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024