First Evidence of Potential Efficacy of Tau Aggregation Inhibitor Therapy in Alzheimer’s Disease — TauRx

ABERDEEN, Scotland and SINGAPORE, 20 January 2015 – The Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease has published today the results of the first clinical trial of a Tau Aggregation Inhibitor (TAI) in Alzheimer’s disease (AD).1 This Phase II clinical trial, conducted by TauRx Therapeutics Ltd (a Singapore incorporated spinout from the University of Aberdeen), provided the basis and rationale for subsequent Phase III clinical trials of a TAI in AD currently in progress.

The double-blind dose-finding Phase II clinical trial involved 321 patients in 16 clinical research centres in the UK and one centre in Singapore and tested three doses of the drug (Methylene blue) . The study met its predefined primary efficacy endpoint at 24 weeks on the standard scale most commonly used to measure cognitive decline in clinical trials (ADAS-cog) at the 138 mg / day dose. The primary result was also supported by benefit on two other clinical scales. The effect sizes seen were statistically significant and clinically meaningful in moderate subjects at 24 weeks. The clinical results were also supported by brain scan evidence of arrest of decline over the same period in mild subjects at the same dose. The beneficial effect was sustained to 50 weeks in both mild and moderate subjects at this dose, with 90% reduction in the rate of cognitive decline overall.

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