NEUREN'S DRUG CANDIDATE EFFECTIVELY REVERSES MEMORY LOSS

Neuren Pharmaceuticals announced that its third lead candidate from its diketopiperazine (DKP) family, NNZ-2591, has reported positive preclinical effects of improved learning and memory after oral dosing. Memory was improved to pre-injury levels (100 percent), a statistically significant effect.

The results suggest that NNZ-2591 has the capacity to improve learning and memory processes after short-term treatment. The new data extends the potential application of NNZ-2591 as a treatment for dementias such as those associated with Parkinson's disease. This is a much less competitive market when compared with the many drug therapies that are available for the treatment of the loss of motor skills associated with the Parkinson's disease, according to the company.

In addition, results for NNZ-2591 in aged animals showed an improvement in age-related memory loss, often associated with the early stages of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. In the aged model, besides the improvement in recognition and memory, histology (analysis of brain cells) also showed an improvement in the connections between neurons (synaptic improvement). This indicates the potentially wide applicability of NNZ-2591 across a range of conditions, the company said.

Neuren intends to accelerate development of NNZ-2591 as a clinical candidate for treatment of Parkinson's disease dementia. Further studies will assess the breadth of effect of NNZ-2591 on learning and memory processes to fully evaluate its potential for the treatment of other dementias, including Alzheimer's disease.