AlzeCure Receives €2.5 Million EU Grant to Advance Phase 2a Trial of Novel Alzheimer's Drug ACD856
Key Insights
AlzeCure Pharma (search) has received the first payment of a €2.5 million grant from the European Innovation Council (search) to support a Phase 2a clinical study of NeuroRestore ACD856 (search) for Alzheimer's disease (search) treatment.
ACD856 is a novel Trk-PAM (search) drug designed to enhance brain BDNF and NGF signaling pathways, with previous clinical studies demonstrating safety and effective brain absorption.
The compound shows potential for both symptomatic improvement in learning and memory function as well as disease-modifying properties in Alzheimer's disease (search).
AlzeCure Pharma (search) AB has secured the first payment of a €2.5 million grant from the European Innovation Council (search) (EIC) to advance Phase 2a clinical trials of its innovative Alzheimer's drug candidate NeuroRestore ACD856 (search). The funding, awarded through the EIC Accelerator program, represents a significant milestone for the Swedish biotech company's efforts to address the growing global burden of Alzheimer's disease (search).
Novel Mechanism Targets Brain Signaling Pathways
ACD856 represents a new class of therapeutics known as Trk-PAMs (tropomyosin receptor kinase positive allosteric modulators), designed to enhance the brain's BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) and NGF (Nerve Growth Factor) signaling pathways. These neurotrophin signaling systems play crucial roles in neuronal function, and their impaired activity is associated with reduced cognition in multiple conditions including Alzheimer's disease (search), sleep disorders (search), traumatic brain injury (search), and Parkinson's disease (search).
"ACD856 has a unique mechanism of action and the potential to improve both learning and memory capacity as well as having disease-modifying properties," said Johan Sandin, Chief Scientific Officer at AlzeCure Pharma (search). "This is significant for patients with Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases."
Promising Clinical and Preclinical Data
Previous clinical studies have demonstrated that ACD856 is safe, effectively absorbed into the brain, and activates neuronal pathways important for both cognition and depression (search). The compound has successfully completed Phase 1 clinical trials, showing positive effects that support continued development.
Preclinical data reveals additional therapeutic potential, with ACD856 demonstrating positive effects on neuronal communication, learning, and memory. The compound also exhibits neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties, including improved mitochondrial function, which could indicate potential disease-modifying effects beyond symptomatic treatment.
Addressing Critical Unmet Medical Need
The grant comes at a time when effective Alzheimer's treatments remain critically needed. According to Martin Jönsson, CEO of AlzeCure Pharma (search), "Alzheimer's disease (search) is the most common form of dementia (search) and affects approximately 55 million people globally, and the number of patients is expected to triple over the next 30 years."
The disease poses a substantial burden on patients, families, and healthcare systems worldwide. The total global costs for dementia (search)-related diseases are estimated at approximately $1.3 trillion USD globally as of 2019. In Sweden alone, approximately 100,000 people suffer from Alzheimer's disease (search), with healthcare costs of about SEK 63 billion yearly—exceeding the combined costs of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
Strategic Validation and Future Development
The EIC Accelerator grant represents more than just funding—it serves as validation of ACD856's innovative potential. "The support from the EIC Accelerator is a validation and significant recognition of the project's potential and level of innovation," Sandin noted. "The grant enables the continued clinical studies and accelerates the development of this much-needed Alzheimer's treatment for patients."
Currently, the few approved drugs available on the European market for Alzheimer's disease (search) provide only limited symptomatic effects and can produce dose-limiting side effects. Given the lack of both effective symptomatic treatments and disease-modifying therapies, the medical community urgently needs new therapeutic approaches.
The Phase 2a clinical study will test ACD856 in patients with Alzheimer's disease (search), focusing on the drug's ability to improve learning and memory function while potentially influencing disease progression. This trial represents a crucial step in AlzeCure's mission to develop innovative treatments for severe diseases affecting the central nervous system.