Prana to Commence Phase 1 Clinical Trial of PBT434 for Treatment of Parkinsonian Diseases

Prana Biotechnology (ASX PBT: NASDAQ PRAN) is pleased to announce it has received ethics committee approval and has commenced recruitment for its Phase I Clinical trial evaluating the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of the Company’s lead drug candidate, PBT434, in healthy volunteers.

As quoted in the press release:

PBT434 is the first of a new generation of small molecules designed to inhibit the aggregation of alpha(α)-synuclein and tau, vital intracellular proteins that are implicated in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and atypical parkinsonism. PBT434 has been shown to reduce the abnormal accumulation of these proteins in animal models of disease by restoring normal iron balance in the brain.

Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) are two forms of atypical parkinsonism with no approved therapies and Prana’s initial targets for PBT434. Sufferers experience especially rapid deterioration compared to Parkinson’s disease and typically have motor symptoms that respond poorly to available treatments. Patients with MSA also have difficulty maintaining their blood pressure along with bowel and bladder dysfunction whereas PSP patients have unsteady gait, frequent falls, visual difficulties and cognitive impairment.

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