Neurotrope, Inc. (NTRP) announced the initiation of a phase 2b clinical trial of lead candidate Bryostatin 1 for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

The phase 2b trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of Bryostatin 1 in the treatment of moderately severe to severe Alzheimer’s disease. The study, which plans to enroll 150 patients, is currently recruiting subjects at five trial sites in Florida, New Jersey, New York and Ohio. Neurotrope is engaging additional sites for the trial with a goal of over 30 participating sites.

“The initiation of this phase 2b trial is an important milestone for Neurotrope and our lead compound, Bryostatin-1,” said Charles Ramat, president and CEO of Neurotrope. “In a phase 2a study, Bryostatin proved to be safe and well-tolerated, and demonstrated activation of the PKC epsilon target, which Neurotrope believes results in a cascade effect resulting in synaptogenesis. Damaged synapses are a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. We believe that Bryostatin represents a potential breakthrough in the treatment of this debilitating disease, and look forward to further evaluating its clinical validity in this study.”

The clinical trial will evaluate two different doses of Bryostatin (20 or 40µg) versus placebo, with a total of seven doses administered over 12 weeks. A second randomization will take place after the first 12 weeks of treatment, with patients in the Bryostatin arms to receive either a different dose of Bryostatin or the same dose. Patients in the placebo arm will be randomized to receive either Bryostatin (10µg) or placebo. The primary efficacy endpoint is based on Severe Impairment Battery (SIB) Scale, a benchmark assessment used extensively in severe Alzheimer’s drug trials. Secondary efficacy endpoints include Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE).

The company expects to complete enrollment and report interim data from the study before the end of 2016, with the complete data set expected in the first half of 2017. Worldwide Clinical Trials has been retained as the contract research organization for this study.

Neurotrope BioScience, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Neurotrope, Inc., is at the forefront of biotechnology companies having a focus on developing a novel therapy for the treatment of moderately severe to severe Alzheimer's disease.