Alterity is set to launch a Phase 2 clinical study. Picture Getty Image
Health & Biotech
Neurodegenerative diseases specialist, Alterity Therapeutics (ASX:ATH), is set to launch a Phase 2 clinical trial of its lead drug, ATH43.
ATH43 treats patients with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), a rare neurodegenerative disease similar to Parkinson’s disease.
In addition to the motor symptoms characteristic of Parkinson’s disease, MSA manifests itself in more severe autonomic nervous system impairment, resulting in bladder dysfunction.
Patients with MSA also show symptoms of uncoordinated or clumsy movements that contribute to falling.
ATH43 is designed to reduce the toxic accumulation of α-synuclein, a pathological hallmark of MSA, and preserve nerve cells by restoring normal iron balance in the brain.
The Phase 2 clinical trial is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of ATH434 in patients with early-stage MSA.
The study is expected to enrol approximately 60 adult patients to receive one of two doses of ATH434 or placebo, which they will receive for the next 12 months.
Pro Medicus (ASX:PME) has just signed a $28 million, seven-year contract with Allina Health, a non-profit health care system based in Minneapolis.
The contract will see the PME’s Visage 7 Enterprise Imaging Platform and Visage 7 Workflow module implemented throughout Allina Health’s network.
“This is our fifth major contract in the North American integrated delivery network (IDN) space in 18 months, underpinning the strong momentum we continue to build in this important segment of the market,” said Dr Sam Hupert, Pro Medicus CEO.
New data shows that Amplia Therapeutics’ (ASX:ATX) lead asset AMP945 demonstrates similar efficacy to a current standard of care, OFEV, in a model of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).
AMP945 is an investigational focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibitor currently being developed by Amplia.
Current pharmaceutical standards of care for IPF are either OFEV or Esbriet, but these drugs have significant side effect profiles which limit their utility.
There is considerable effort underway in the market to find more tolerable and effective treatments for IPF, which is a debilitating and deadly disease.
New data from preclinical studies show that in the bleomycin mouse model of IPF, AMP945 had comparable activity to OFEV, the current market leader.
“We have established that AMP945 is a highly selective FAK inhibitor,” said Dr John Lambert, Amplia’s CEO.
“Our clinical studies to date have shown that AMP945 has an excellent safety and tolerability profile at doses that result in measurable inhibition of its intended target.”
“This information should provide significant encouragement to clinical investigators and patients in our planned clinical trials of AMP945 in this devastating disease.”
Health & Biotech
Health & Biotech
Health & Biotech
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