Anavex Life Sciences has announced significant findings from the 48-week open-label extension of its
phase 2 study for Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD). The investigational drug,
ANAVEX2-73, or blarcamesine, demonstrated both safety and efficacy, meeting the
primary and secondary objectives set forth by the study.
During the study, patients who participated in the extension phase experienced notable
improvements in symptoms of Parkinson’s disease dementia. The Movement Disorder
Society-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) and Clinical
Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scores indicated consistent enhancements
after resuming treatment with blarcamesine.
Christopher U. Missling, PhD, President and CEO of Anavex, expressed optimism regarding the study’s
outcomes. He emphasized that the continued improvement of patients’ clinical
symptoms underlines the drug’s potential to address a crucial unmet need in
treating Parkinson’s disease.
The data from the extension phase further reinforced the promising results previously observed
during the double-blind period. Patients on high-dose blarcamesine showed
marked improvements, with significant reductions in MDS-UPDRS total scores
compared to the placebo group. These improvements aligned with the restoration
of expression levels of neurodegenerative genes impacted by Parkinson’s disease.
Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the study faced delays, resulting in a reduced enrollment
rate and a temporary pause in treatment. However, even with these
interruptions, the long-term data underscored the drug’s efficacy.
Anavex remains committed to advancing the development of ANAVEX2-73.
The company plans to incorporate the key endpoints observed in this phase 2
study into its forthcoming six-month Parkinson’s disease study.
In conclusion, the results from Anavex Life Sciences’ phase 2 extension study provide a hopeful
perspective on the potential of ANAVEX2-73 to improve the lives of individuals
with Parkinson’s disease dementia. The pharmaceutical community and patients alike
eagerly await further developments. Refer to this article to learn more.
Find more information about Anavex on https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/AVXL:US