PURCHASE, N.Y., Feb. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cognition Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CGTX), a clinical stage company developing neurodegenerative disease candidates, (the "Company" or "Cognition") announced the publication of a manuscript reviewing recent work supporting the potential of zervimesine (CT1812), a small molecule drug candidate to treat dry age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD). The Journal of Nature Scientific Reports has published the paper online: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-87921-9.
Several separate studies were conducted and are reported in this manuscript:
a) an analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collected from participants of two Alzheimer's disease clinical trials to identify the impact of zervimesine treatment on disease-relevant proteins;
b) a separate analysis of these CSF samples to identify pathways associated with dry AMD that were altered by treatment with zervimesine;
c) an in vitro study conducted in collaboration with researchers at the University of Southampton, UK to investigate zervimesine's ability to rescue important cellular processes in a cell model of dry AMD.
Mary Hamby, Ph.D., Cognition Therapeutic's VP of research explained, "We analyzed CSF samples from studies of zervimesine in adults with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. From this, we found that treatment with zervimesine altered proteins and pathways strongly associated with geographic atrophy and macular degeneration. These findings support the potential of zervimesine to impact pathways impaired in retinal diseases."
Cognition Therapeutics also worked with Arjuna Ratnayaka, Ph.D. in the School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences at the University of Southampton to conduct an in vitro study showing the potential that a small molecule candidate may rescue cellular processes that are impaired in dry AMD.
"Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells are responsible for breaking down the cellular debris generated by photoreceptors, which are specialized cells in the retina necessary for sight," stated Dr. Ratnayaka. "The ability of RPE cells to carry out this function is essential for the health and survival of photoreceptors. We modelled this in the laboratory and showed that RPE cells' capacity to break down photoreceptor outer segments (debris) was compromised when when the cells are exposed to amyloid beta oligomers or oxidative stress. However, the addition of zervimesine and other compounds from Cognition Therapeutics' library normalized the function of RPE cells."
The Company continues to believe that zervimesine has the potential to alter the biological processes that contribute to dry AMD. However, at this time, the Company intends to focus its current financial resources on Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies.
About Zervimesine (CT1812)
Zervimesine (CT1812) is an investigational oral, once-daily pill being developed for the treatment of CNS diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). While these diseases have different symptoms, both are associated with the buildup of certain proteins in the brain - Aß and ?-synuclein. As these proteins bind to neurons, they can damage and ultimately destroy the neurons. This results in a progressive loss in a person's ability to learn, recall memories, move efficiently, or communicate. These diseases progress relentlessly and ultimately result in death. If zervimesine can interrupt the toxic effects of these proteins, it may be able to slow progression of disease and improve the lives of those suffering from Alzheimer's and DLB.
The USAN Council has adopted zervimesine as the United States Adopted Name (USAN) for CT1812.
About Cognition Therapeutics, Inc.
Cognition Therapeutics, Inc., is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing innovative, small molecule therapeutics targeting age-related degenerative disorders of the central nervous system. We are currently investigating our lead candidate, zervimesine (CT1812), in clinical programs in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Alzheimer's disease, including the ongoing START study (NCT05531656) in early Alzheimer's disease. We believe zervimesine can regulate pathways that are impaired in these diseases though its interaction with the sigma-2 receptor, a mechanism that is functionally distinct from other approaches for the treatment of degenerative diseases. More about Cognition Therapeutics and our pipeline can be found at https://cogrx.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release, other than statements of historical facts or statements that relate to present facts or current conditions, including but not limited to, statements regarding our expected runway, product candidates, including zervimesine (CT1812), and any expected or implied benefits or results, including that initial clinical results observed with respect to zervimesine will be replicated in later trials and our clinical development plans, the timing of any regulatory interactions and submissions, and expectations regarding timing, success and data announcements of current ongoing preclinical and clinical trials are forward-looking statements. These statements, including statements relating to the timing and expected results of our clinical trials involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "expect," "plan," "aim," "seek," "anticipate," "could," "intend," "target," "project," "contemplate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "forecast," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified and some of which are beyond our control. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: competition; our ability to secure new (and retain existing) grant funding; our ability to grow and manage growth, maintain relationships with suppliers and retain our management and key employees; our ability to successfully advance our current and future product candidates through development activities, preclinical studies and clinical trials and costs related thereto; uncertainties inherent in the results of preliminary data, pre-clinical studies and earlier-stage clinical trials being predictive of the results of early or later-stage clinical trials; the timing, scope and likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals, including regulatory approval of our product candidates; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the possibility that the we may be adversely affected by other economic, business or competitive factors, including ongoing economic uncertainty; our estimates of expenses and profitability; the evolution of the markets in which we compete; our ability to implement our strategic initiatives and continue to innovate our existing products; our ability to defend our intellectual property; impacts of ongoing global and region conflicts on our business, supply chain and labor force; our ability to maintain the listing of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market; and the risks and uncertainties described more fully in the "Risk Factors" section of our annual and quarterly reports filed with the Securities Exchange Commission and are available at www.sec.gov. These risks are not exhaustive, and we face both known and unknown risks. You should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The events and circumstances reflected in our forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur, and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Moreover, we operate in a dynamic industry and economy. New risk factors and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all risk factors and uncertainties that we may face. Except as required by applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.
| Contact Information: Cognition Therapeutics, Inc. info@cogrx.com | Casey McDonald (media) Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Inc. cmcdonald@tiberend.com | Mike Moyer (investors) LifeSci Advisors mmoyer@lifesciadvisors.com |
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