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- Alterity Therapeutics (ATH) has opened enrolment for its phase two clinical trial of its lead candidate drug to treat patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) in New Zealand
- The company believes ATH434 has the potential to address the underlying pathology of MSA and preserve function in individuals who suffer from the disease
- Phase two will explore the effect of the treatment on imaging and protein biomarkers which are important contributors to MSA pathology
- Patients, all of whom have early-stage MSA, will receive treatment for 12 months which will provide an opportunity to detect changes in efficacy endpoints to support the design of a phase three study
- ATH shares are up 5.88 per cent and are trading at 1.8 cents as of 3:06 pm AEST
Alterity Therapeutics (ATH) has opened enrolment for its phase two clinical trial of ATH434 for the treatment of patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) in New Zealand.
MSA is a rare neurodegenerative disease that is similar to Parkinson’s disease, but it progresses more rapidly and causes profound disability.
The ATH434 drug is designed to reduce the toxic accumulation of α-synuclein, a pathological hallmark of MSA, and preserve nerve cells by restoring normal iron balance in the brain.
ATH434 has shown potential to treat Parkinson’s disease as well as various forms of atypical Parkinsonism like MSA.
The lead candidate drug also been granted Orphan designation for the treatment of MSA by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Commission.
Thus, the company believes the drug has the potential to address the underlying pathology of the disease and preserve function in individuals with MSA, which currently only has treatments that address certain symptoms.
CEO Dr David Stamler said the advancement of the trial “underscores” the company’s commitment to bring a much needed treatment to individuals with MSA.
“The opening of enrolment for our phase two trial in New Zealand is an important first step for this clinical program, and I am grateful to our team and our investigators who supported the launch of the trial.
“Over the course of this year, we will expand the trial into other regions globally.”
Phase two of the clinical trial will explore the effect of ATH434 treatment on imaging and protein biomarkers which are important contributors to MSA pathology.
Patients, all of whom have early-stage MSA, will receive treatment for 12 months which will provide an opportunity to detect changes in efficacy endpoints to optimise design of a definitive phase three study.
ATH shares were up 5.88 per cent to trade at 1.8 cents as of 3:06 pm AEST.
