Hoth Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: HOTH) has released proof of concept results from an Alzheimer’s disease animal model supporting HT-ALZ’s therapeutic potential. The study was carried out as part of a Sponsored Research Agreement between the firm and Washington University in St. Louis. HT-ALZ is a treatment in development for the treatment of dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease under the 505(b)(2) regulatory process.
Preliminary findings show a significant reduction in Aβ levels.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative illness characterized by amyloid (A) plaques and tau protein neurofibrillary tangles in the brain, which lead to clinical symptoms such as dementia. Using an established AD mouse model (aged APP/PS1+/- mice), Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Carla Yuede, Ph.D., and Associate Professor of Neurology, John Cirrito, Ph.D., at Washington University School of Medicine, investigated the effect of orally administered HT-ALZ on reducing Aβ’s concentration in the brain interstitial fluid.
The preliminary findings show a significant reduction in Aβ in both female and male APP/PS1+/- animals following acute treatment with HT-ALZ, relative to placebo-treated mice and baseline Aβ levels, indicating that HT-ALZ can potentially modify Aβ plaque buildup in the brain, therefore becoming an Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics.
Chief Scientific Officer of Hoth Therapeutics, Stefanie Johns, said, “The overall positive result from these studies is a first step but a big one in the development of HT-ALZ as an Alzheimer’s therapeutic. HT-ALZ is a unique therapeutic in the AD development space because it is eligible for streamlined development under the 505(b)(2) pathway, including available safety data. This allows Hoth to reach efficacy clinical trials faster and bring a new potential treatment for patients with Alzheimer’s disease.”
Next study to evaluate how changes influence cognitive function
Dr. Yuede commented, “The results of these experiments show a reduction in circulating brain Aβ in our model, and we are looking forward to determining how these changes influence behavior and cognitive function.”
Dr. Cirrito and Dr. Yuede’s next study will evaluate the effects of HT-ALZ on anxiety, executive function, and memory in the APP/PS1+/- animal model following chronic treatment with HT-ALZ.
