Roughly 5.8 million people in the U.S. and 44 million people worldwide are estimated to suffer from Alzheimer's disease (AD), most of them age 65 and older. Unfortunately, nothing has changed in the past 23 years. From 1998 to 2018, there were over 500 failed attempts at developing Alzheimer's drugs, primarily focused on the amyloid plaque, and currently, there haven’t been new treatments approved.
Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. The disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys different skills, and eventually the ability to carry out the simplest tasks.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia and may contribute to 60%–70% of cases. It is considered among the top 10 causes of death worldwide, and it ranks 3rd in the Americas and Europe. Additionally, 65% of deaths from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are women.
Annovis Bio, Inc. (NYSE:ANVS), a clinical-stage drug platform company addressing Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other neurodegenerative diseases, understands the concerns of those who suffer from these diseases and the need for a novel approach. This what you need to know.
Annovis Approach
There is no curative treatment for AD, and there are only a few approved treatments to treat its symptoms. The potential market for these unmet needs are in the multibillions of dollars and growing.
The company’s approach intends to stop Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s with its drug treatment ANVS401. The drug improves axonal transport and recovers the affected function.
Currently, ANVS401 completed Phase 2 of clinical trials and will provide validation to move to Phase 3 trials. Annovis’ pipeline consists of 3 drugs for chronic neurodegeneration:
- ANVS 401: Lead compound for Alzheimer’s disease (AD, its orphan indication Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in Down syndrome (AD-DS) and PD.
- ANVS 405: To treat acute neurodegeneration – traumatic brain injury (TBI) and strokes
- ANVS 301: For advanced Alzheimer's disease
Lead candidate ANVS 401 inhibits the translation of more than one neurotoxic protein, unlike most failed phase 3 trials, which only target 1 protein.
ANVS 401 lowers neurotoxic proteins, improves axonal transport, increases synaptic transmission, lowers inflammation, protects nerve cells from dying, and by keeping nerve cells alive improves cognitive and motor functions.
ANVS401 and ANVS405 can work in chronic and acute indications because nerve cells die from these diseases’ same mechanism. ANVS401 and ANVS405 stop the toxic cascade leading to nerve cell death.
Annovis is conducting two Phase 2 studies to show in both AD and PD patient populations that what was demonstrated in animals can be reproduced in humans and that ANVS401 protects the nerve cells from dying, and by doing so preserves the associated function.
Annovis Recent Developments
The company is pursuing a tremendous addressable market that needs more effective and safe treatment options, especially with the emotional impact beyond the patient. The company comprises top scientists and professionals who understand the importance of giving something palpable to the medical world. These are a few highlights that we think you should take into account:
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