The new clinical data was presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Vancouver, California which showed that a new class of drugs has potential to improve synaptic function in the central nervous system in animal models of Alzheimer's disease, an effect that is anticipated to lead to improved cognition in Alzheimer's disease and age-related cognitive impairment.

Dr Lawren VandeVrede, of the University of Illinois College of Pharmacy, Chicago, provided an overview of the therapeutic potential of a new class of compounds known as 'nomethiazoles'. This therapeutic class was initially defined in the laboratory of Prof. Greg Thatcher while at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario. Professor Thatcher now holds the Hans W Vahlteich Chair of Medicinal Chemistry in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy at the University of Illinois College of Pharmacy, Chicago. Dr VandeVrede, an MD/PhD trainee in Prof. Thatcher's laboratory, has continued research on this new class of therapy.

Dr VandeVrede presented the data which focuses on sGC-1061, one of this new class of compounds. sGC-1061 has been selected as a drug candidate, and the process of clinical development has already begun. A prototype sustained-release formulation has been developed, following a phase-I clinical trial, which demonstrated very high bioavailability for sGC-1061.  Based on preclinical assessments of prototype formulations, this development program is now staged to return to clinical evaluations under an IND in the USA. Following phase I PK studies, sGC-1061will be poised to enter phase II proof of concept evaluations in target populations.

According to Dr Elliott J Mufson, Alla and Solomon Jesmer Chair in Aging at Chicago's Rush University Medical Centre, Preliminary evidence in a transgenic animal model of Alzheimer's Disease indicates that this compound has potential to improve synaptic efficiency providing evidence for therapeutic potential.

Clinical phase-II proof of concept evaluations in target populations are the next stage in development of this new approach to therapy for Alzheimer's disease, which differs significantly from the dominant efforts focused on specific targeting of amyloid-beta. These approaches have failed in clinical trials. Nomethiazoles are a potentially important and new disease-modifying approach to a complex problem. Although animal models are imperfect predictors of clinical success, data presented by Dr VandeVrede shows that the mechanism of action of these agents improves cognition and lowers amyloid-beta and tau in two Alzheimer's animal models.

Professor Thatcher's work on nomethiazoles has been licensed from Queen's University's PARTEQ Innovations and the University of Illinois and is being developed by sGC Pharma Inc., an early stage company headquartered in Wellesley MA. Dr Doug Cowart of sGC Pharmaceuticals indicated that the new formulation of sGC-1061 relies on recently patented technology to assure that plasma concentrations remain in the therapeutic range with once or twice daily dosage.

sGC Pharma is a biotechnology company dedicated to developing a drug to improve cognition and memory in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD).