08/03/23 - A neuroprotective drug candidate being trialled in Western Australia for stroke may also be beneficial for treating Alzheimer’s disease.
The novel therapeutic ARG-007 has been developed by researchers at WA’s Perron Institute and The University of Western Australia and is currently at the clinical trial stage as an early intervention treatment to reduce brain damage in stroke.
WA-based biotechnology company Argenica Therapeutics, working with the Perron Institute, has recently completed a Phase 1 clinical trial in healthy human volunteers to assess the safety and tolerability of ARG-007.
Argenica is now progressing towards a Phase 2 clinical trial in ischaemic stroke patients, as well as continuing to generate preclinical data in other neurological conditions, including Alzheimer’s.
Professor Bruno Meloni, Perron Institute Head of Stroke Laboratory Research and Argenica Chief Scientific Officer, will oversee the Alzheimer’s disease preclinical study which is due to commence in March with results expected in late 2023.
“After many years of hard work developing our neuroprotective drug for stroke, it’s exciting to see its potential application as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease moving forward,” Professor Meloni said.
Dr Liz Dallimore, Argenica’s Managing Director said preclinical research indicated that ARG-007 may be effective in treating people with Alzheimer’s by inhibiting what is thought to be one of the main causes, abnormal build-up of proteins in and around brain cells.
“Initial data on ARG-007’s ability to significantly reduce the aggregation of one of these proteins, Amyloid-Beta, in an in vitro model of Alzheimer’s Disease is exciting,” she said.
“Philanthropic funding via the Perron Institute will enable the preclinical studies on the efficacy of the ARG-007 drug to continue.”
The total of $350,000 includes $250,000 from the McCusker Charitable Foundation, which has a long history of supporting medical research in Western Australia, particularly Alzheimer’s research.
The additional $100,000 funding is from Mr Jim Litis, a long-standing and generous supporter of the Perron Institute.
“We sincerely thank these donors, the McCusker Charitable Foundation and Mr Litis, for this generous funding to support ongoing research on ARG-007 in collaboration with the Perron Institute,” Dr Dallimore said.
Professor Bruno Meloni and Dr Liz Dallimore in the Perron Institute lab (photo credit: CCIWA).
Media contact:
Tennille Kroemer, Communications Manager, Perron Institute
Mobile: 0426 044 223