Cassava Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ:SAVA) has to deal with the everyday drastic challenges of translating novel scientific insights into new medicines. Its primary mission is to help in detecting and treating Alzheimer’s disease, which is not just a simple test of getting blood. Alzheimer’s disease is a debilitating neurodegenerative condition, which more often than not destroys memory and thinking skills.
The company has made a new milestone with its lead therapeutic product candidate; PTI-125. It has obtained a chemical drug name; sumifilam from the United States Adopted Names (USAN). Even though it has not attained approval for any indication, the investigational new drug is the first of an innovative class of drugs that bind filamin proteins.
The Role of Sumifilam in Restoring altered filamin A (FLNA)
Altered FLNA disrupts the normal functioning of neurons within the brain. The result is usually Alzheimer’s pathology, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration. However, Sumifilam, as small as it is to be a molecule (oral) drug has the capability of restoring the normal shape and function of altered filamin A (FLNA).
There is an expectation that USAN would grant Sumifilam a new class of drugs its own name stem, i.e., -filam; which is already part of the new name. If this happens, it means future drugs will targeting filamin protein will have to integrate the -filam name stem in the drug’s actual name.
Unraveling Alzheimer’s disease is a Difficult Agenda
Statistics have it that more than 5.8 million people in the US are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease. This includes both the young and the old over 65years. Sadly, the numbers continue to grow dramatically by the year, and unfortunately, there are no drug therapies to halt the disease.
This has resulted in a social and economic burden, and according to Cassava Sciences, the possibilities of new drugs for Alzheimer’s remain vague. Thus, the need for a new focus in the research for promising at least one drug.
At this point, Cassava Sciences upholds the importance of collaboration, citing that this is the only way to gain substantial breakthroughs. The good news is that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) continue to offer financial support aimed at helping in the improvement of human health.
