LONDON (Alliance News) - Proteome Sciences PLC Friday announced "excellent" results from in vitro toxicity tests for its two lead compounds to treat Alzheimer's disease, which it hopes will attract pharmaceutical companies to partner with Proteome on the treatments.
Two external in vitro toxicity safety tests showed "no adverse data" for either the PS110 or PS278-05 compounds, Proteome said.
Additionally, the company completed its first study of its SysQuant technology in the central nervous system, which has shown that its CK1d compounds "successfully modified certain key pathways linked with amyloid processing, oxidative phosphorylation and energy production and these have reduced tau damage in our preferred in vivo mouse model."
Tau proteins can cause dementias of the nervous system like Alzheimer's disease when they become defective, and can no longer perform their function of stabilising microtubules property. Proteome's compounds work by modifying the tau pathway in patients with Alzheimer's, and Proteome said that tau as a target for treatment is "one of the key areas for governmental support."
The company said its aim was to achieve efficacy and early safety data to ensure its patent portfolio was strong. It is now ready to move to the next stage of marketing with its portfolio to progress the out-licensing programme, following on from presentations it made at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in July.
Proteome is looking to partner with pharmaceutical companies on the compounds on the back of study results.
"This is an important milestone in the pre-clinical development of potent and selective inhibitors of a key protein involved in Alzheimer's disease progression," said Chief Operating Officer Ian Pike in a statement. "After receiving this clean set of toxicity results we believe our compounds are compelling candidates for out-licensing to established pharmaceutical companies."
By Hana Stewart-Smith; hanassmith@alliancenews.com; @HanaSSAllNews
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Proteome (PRM)