Anavex Life Sciences, a leading biopharmaceutical company, has recently announced promising
results from the phase 2 extension study of its investigational agent,
blarcamesine. The study focused on patients with Parkinson disease dementia
(PDD), a condition characterized by the progressive decline of cognitive
function in individuals with Parkinson’s disease.
Despite facing delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the open-label extension study
demonstrated significant improvements in PDD symptoms for up to 48 weeks.
Patients who opted to continue treatment with blarcamesine showed consistent
improvements in various efficacy endpoints, including the Movement Disorder
Society-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) and the Clinical
Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I).
Christopher U. Missling, PhD, President and CEO of Anavex, expressed his enthusiasm regarding the
study’s findings. He stated, “It is encouraging that the patients’
clinical symptoms consistently improved longitudinally over time during the
extension phase under active ANAVEX2-73 treatment.” These positive results
suggest that blarcamesine has the potential to not only slow down but also
potentially reverse the life-altering symptoms of PDD.
The data from the extension study revealed improvements in various assessments. From baseline to
week 48, patients experienced a mean change of -2.25 in the MDS-UPDRS total
score and a mean change of -0.7 in the CGI-I. Furthermore, blarcamesine had a
positive effect on cognitive function, as shown by mean changes in the Montreal
Cognitive Assessment and the REM Sleep Behavior Disorder Screening Questionnaire.
The phase 2 study also highlighted the correlation between blarcamesine’s therapeutic effect and
the restoration of pathological dysregulated neurodegenerative genes, including
genes associated with Parkinson’s disease. These findings further support the
potential of blarcamesine as a treatment option for PDD.
Although the study’s sample size was small, the observed improvements in PDD symptoms offer
hope for patients and underline the urgent need for effective treatments in
this area. Anavex plans to conduct a forthcoming 6-month study to further investigate the
efficacy of blarcamesine in Parkinson’s disease.
The positive results from Anavex Life Science’s phase 2 extension study provide promising
evidence for the potential of blarcamesine as a treatment for Parkinson disease
dementia. As further research is conducted, blarcamesine holds the promise of
improving the lives of individuals affected by this debilitating condition. Follow
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Learn more about Anavex on https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/avxl