Cognition Therapeutics Initiates Phase Ib Clinical Trial for Alzheimer’s Drug

The first Alzheimer’s patient has been dosed with an experimental small molecule drug in Cognition Therapeutics’ Phase Ib clinical trial. The drug – named CT1812 – is an orally available small molecule which prevents beta amyloid (Aβ) oligomers from binding to the receptor complex.

“Evidence suggests that CT1812 has the potential to rapidly reverse the memory loss seen in Alzheimer’s disease and to stop disease progression,” said Dr. Susan Catalano, Cognition Therapeutics’ Chief Scientific Officer and Founder. “CT1812’s novel mechanism of action as the first orally active drug that displaces beta amyloid oligomers represents a potentially major therapeutic advance for the millions of individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.”

While the exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease is unknown, the accumulation of Aβ plaques in the brain are associated with memory problems and loss of cognitive functions. By displacing these neurotoxic Aβ oligomers, CT1812 has been shown to stop, and even reverse, memory loss.

Phase Ia clinical trials established that the drug was safe at multiple dosages, when orally administered once per day for a maximum two week period. The current Phase Ib clinical trial will assess the daily dosing of CT1812 in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.

Participants in the study will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: low dose, high dose or placebo. This Phase Ib clinical trial will help researchers determine the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic profile of the Alzheimer’s therapy.

“The dosing of patients with Alzheimer’s disease is a major milestone for Cognition and CT1812,” said Kenneth I. Moch, President and CEO of Cognition Therapeutics. “We are pleased by the pace of CT1812’s clinical program and remain on track to initiate additional trials in 2017 which will further demonstrate the therapeutic potential of CT1812.”

The results from this trial will also help determine the recommended dose for CT1812, which will be used in a larger Phase II clinical trial. According to Cognition Therapeutics, results from the Phase Ib clinical trial are expected to be generated by the middle of next year.