Acumen's Alzheimer's drug passes initial safety test
16/07/2023 07:00
By Julie Steenhuysen
CHICAGO, July 16 (Reuters) - An experimental Alzheimer's
disease drug developed by Acumen Pharmaceuticals ABOS.O
targeting a novel form of the toxic protein beta amyloid in the
brain passed an early safety test and will advance to a larger
trial, the company said on Sunday.
The drug, ACI193, was well tolerated in the first trial
testing it in people, the company said. Results of the
randomized, placebo-controlled study of 62 patients with early
Alzheimer's disease were presented at the Alzheimer's
Association's International Conference in Amsterdam.
Acumen's drug targets and binds to amyloid beta oligimers, a
toxic, soluble version of the amyloid protein that forms brain
plaques associated with the memory-robbing disease, Dr. Eric
Siemers, chief medical officer of Acumen, said in an interview.
The target is similar to that of Biogen BIIB.O and Eisai's
4523.T recently-approved Leqembi, which hits another soluble,
toxic form of the protein in the brain. Leqembi won standard
U.S. approval earlier this month after showing it could remove
amyloid plaques and slow the advance of Alzheimer's in
early-stage patients.
In the Acumen trial, 10.4% of treated participants (5
people) developed a brain swelling condition known as ARIA-E
associated with amyloid-targeting treatments. Of these, only one
had symptoms, which resolved after the drug was stopped.
Another 8.3% developed bleeding in the brain associated with
treatment, known as ARIA-H.
"Because this antibody targets oligimers but is not intended
to target plaque, we didn't know if we would get any ARIA or
not," said Siemers, adding that the ARIA cases may suggest the
drug is having an effect.
People who got higher doses of the drug also showed a
reduction in amyloid plaque after 6 to 12 weeks, the company
said. Acumen said the study suggests the drug can be given as a
monthly intravenous infusion.
(Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen;
Editing by Bill Berkrot)
((julie.steenhuysen@thomsonreuters.com; 312-408-8131; Reuters
Messaging: Julie.steenhuysen.reuters.com@reuters.net))