Alzheon CEO, Martin Tolar, interview with Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), the first publication in this field that remains the key driver in the explosion of the industry.
Excerpt
Keeping amyloid monomers under a cloud
“Until recently, the Alzheimer’s disease has been a graveyard of drug development,” states Martin Tolar, MD, PhD, founder, president, and CEO of Alzheon. “The Phase III results of Biogen’s therapeutic antibody aducanumab are cause for optimism because it has been confirmed that targeting amyloid can slow the clinical progression of Alzheimer’s.”
Tolar explains that amyloid in human brain occurs in three forms:
- “Good” amyloid monomers, which are important for brain health.
- Acutely neurotoxic “bad” soluble oligomers, toxic carriers in Alzheimer’s pathogenic cascade.
- Mostly “inert” fibrils and plaques, which sequester excess amyloid and protect against poligomer toxicity.
Selectively targeting “bad” amyloid oligomers may be a key to slow down or even prevent Alzheimer’s disease, as Alzheon has confirmed through its own contributions to amyloid research. The company’s lead product ALZ-801, a Phase III–ready novel prodrug of tramiprosate, inhibits the aggregation of monomers into oligomers.
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