Anavex rises after it plans trials for Alzheimer's, autism drug

Anavex Life Sciences

14/04/2026 12:58

** Shares of biotech firm Anavex Life Sciences AVXL.O rise 1.3% to $3.15 premarket

** Co says it plans pivotal trials of its experimental drug blarcamesine after new research suggested autism and Alzheimer's have similar underlying biology.

** Says studies showed both diseases share problems with "cell clean‑up," in which brain cells struggle to clear waste

** Adds blarcamesine targets a protein to help restore this cell clean-up process and studies have shown benefits in Alzheimer's and Rett syndrome

** Rett syndrome is a rare childhood neurological disorder that affects brain development, especially in girls, and causes loss of speech and movement

** As of last close, stock down ~13% YTD

 (Reporting by Sahil Pandey in Bengaluru)

 ((Sahil.Pandey@thomsonreuters.com))