Argenica Therapeutics (ASX:AGN) pre-clinical data points to potential new Alzheimer’s treatment

• Argenica Therapeutics (AGN) reports that pre-clinical data for its flagship ARG-007 product shows the drug can inhibit one of the main causes of Alzheimer’s Disease
• In an in-vitro study, a 25-micron dose of the drug reduced Abeta aggregation, one of the main causes of Alzheimer’s, by over 50 per cent compared to vehicle controls
• Argenica Managing Director Liz Dallimore says this is “extremely” encouraging data and shows a potential new indication for ARG-007
• The company will now move on to animal studies to begin to assess the efficacy of ARG-007 in Alzheimer’s disease
• Shares in Argenica Therapeutics are up 28.4 per cent to 52 cents at 11:37 am AEDT

Argenica Therapeutics (AGN) has reported that pre-clinical data for its flagship ARG-007 product showed the drug inhibited one of the main causes of Alzheimer’s Disease.

The news sent the company’s share price soaring in early trade on Thursday morning.

Argenica said that in an in-vitro study conducted by Austria-based contract research organisation QPS, ARG-007 was shown to “significantly” inhibit the aggregation of human recombinant Amyloid-Beta (Abeta), which is thought to be one of the main causes of Alzheimer’s.

In the study, three different concentrations of ARG-007 were used, and Argenica found that at 16 hours after administration, a 25-micron dose of ARG-007 reduced Abeta aggregation by over 50 per cent compared to vehicle controls.

The study showed that the smaller 2.5-micron and 7.5-micron doses also resulted in major reductions in Abeta aggregation 16 hours post-administration.

Argenica Managing Director Liz Dallimore said this was “extremely” encouraging data and showed a potential new indication for ARG-007.

“It is well recognised that Abeta aggregation in the brain plays a key role in initiating Alzheimer’s Disease, and therefore a safe therapeutic drug that can reduce Abeta aggregation is a huge opportunity,” Dr Dallimore said.

The in-vitro study results were obtained using a cell-free Abeta aggregation assay model, and the company said it would now move on to animal studies to begin to assess the efficacy of ARG-007 in Alzheimer’s Disease.

The company has engaged QPS to undertake the animal study in 5xFAD mice — a model of familial Alzheimer’s Disease.

Argenica said the global Alzheimer’s therapeutics market was valued at US$4.04 billion (A$5.8 billion) in 2021 and was expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 16.2 per cent from 2022 to 2030

Shares in Argenica Therapeutics were up 28.4 per cent to 52 cents at 11:37 am AEDT.