WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oligomerix, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of a platform of tau self-association inhibitors for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related neurodegenerative disorders, announced today the publication of preclinical data demonstrating that the oral small molecule OLX-07010 inhibits tau aggregation in a model for inherited tauopathies such as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Earlier this year, Oligomerix announced first-in-human dosing of OLX-07010 in a Phase 1a clinical trial.
The self-association of tau protein into progressively larger aggregates and tau tangles is a common pathological process in AD and multiple rare inherited neurodegenerative diseases such as PSP and FTD. Since tau tangles and amyloid plaques are hallmarks of AD, treating both could be more beneficial to patients than targeting a single pathology. Additionally, because tau pathology has been highly correlated with disease progression in AD, our approach has been to target tau self-association, the first step in tau aggregation.
In a paper published in the journal PLOS ONE, titled “Small molecule inhibitor of tau self-association in a mouse model of tauopathy: A preventive study in P301L tau JNPL3 mice,” researchers reported that the experimental drug OLX-07010 reduced the accumulation of tau aggregates. Compared to controls, oral treatment with the drug over four months significantly prevented the development of tau aggregates in this mouse model. The blinded study was performed independently by Peter Davies, Ph.D., former director of the Litwin-Zucker Center for Alzheimer's Disease & Memory Disorders at the Feinstein Institutes.
"This study validates Oligomerix's approach for inhibiting tau aggregation in a mouse model relevant to rare human neurodegenerative diseases such as PSP and FTD, which is caused by mutations in tau. The current results further support data from our previously published article, “In vivo validation of a small molecule inhibitor of tau self-association in htau mice,” which was conducted in a model for tau aggregation in AD,” commented James Moe, Ph.D., MBA, CEO and Head Discovery & Strategy at Oligomerix, an author and Principal Investigator of the studies. “Together, these studies demonstrate that targeting the self-interaction of tau is an effective approach for inhibiting the accumulation of all sizes and forms of tau aggregates in disease."
“While there has been significant progress in the efforts to develop effective treatments for Alzheimer’s disease as demonstrated with the recent FDA full approval of Eisai and Biogen’s lecanemab and the potential for full approval of Lilly’s donanemab, there still remains a high unmet need for a therapeutic drug that is oral and self-administered, and that can treat patients in both developed and developing nations globally,” said William Erhardt, M.D., President and Head of Development & Operations at Oligomerix. “While there have been substantial advancements in the AD space, other tauopathies such as PSP and FTD lack effective therapies. We intend to explore these indications in our ongoing clinical development program.”
This published research was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute on Aging awards R43AG029777, R44AG029777 and R44AG053150. The content of this news release is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.
About Oligomerix, Inc.
Oligomerix is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing novel, small-molecule inhibitors of tau self-association for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related neurodegenerative diseases with tau pathology. Oligomerix has developed a platform of assays and small molecule inhibitors designed to block the initiation and progression of tau aggregation. The Company has initiated a Phase 1a clinical trial of its lead OLX-07010 for AD. The company’s research laboratories are located at the Ullmann Research Center for Health Sciences within the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and its corporate headquarters are in White Plains, NY. For more information, please visit Oligomerix.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
