AlzeCure Pharma AB (publ) (FN STO: ALZCUR), a pharmaceutical company that develops a broad portfolio of drug candidates for diseases affecting the central nervous system, with projects in both Alzheimer’s disease and pain, today announced that the company’s presentation at the pain conference held by the Swedish Pain Society is now available in its entirety on the company's website. The presentation contains clinical data from the phase II study with the company's leading drug candidate in pain, ACD440, which is being developed for the treatment of peripheral neuropathic pain.
”The results showed that after a short treatment with a locally acting gel, ACD440 can significantly reduce temperature-induced pain in patients with peripheral neuropathic pain. The fact that we have now been able to demonstrate proof-of-mechanism also in patients strengthens the project and is a positive signal for the continued clinical development of ACD440,” said Dr. Märta Segerdahl, project leader and CMO at AlzeCure.
The presentation, titled “Topical ACD440 Gel reduces pain induced by temperature-stimulation in patients with neuropathic pain with sensory hypersensitivity”, was held by Dr. Segerdahl and contains results from the recent phase II clinical trial with ACD440. Other co-authors of the material are Magnus Halldin, Rolf Karlsten, Karin Ellström and Adriana Miclescu.
The Phase II study included fourteen patients, men and women aged 50-85 years with moderate to severe peripheral neuropathic pain. On average, the patients had had pain for 4.75 years. The results showed that after 7 days of treatment with ACD440, the temperature-triggered pain was reduced by about 50%, a significant and clinically relevant effect. No treatment-related side effects were reported, indicating that the product is safe and well tolerated by patients.
AlzeCure's drug candidate ACD440 is a TRPV1 antagonist for the local treatment of patients with peripheral neuropathic pain. The discovery of TRPV1 that underlies the project was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2021. There is thus a strong scientific basis for this biological mechanism, including its relationship to pain signaling. ACD440 completed a positive phase Ib study in 2021. It showed both very good tolerability and safety, but also a potent, long-lasting pain-relieving effect of the substance that is applied as a gel to the skin.
"The fact that we have now been able to demonstrate significant and clinically relevant effects with ACD440 in patients suffering from chronic pain in this phase II clinical study shows the substantial potential of this substance. Neuropathic pain is an area of huge medical need, where up to 80% of patients do not respond satisfactorily to their current treatments, so new therapies in the field are urgently needed, also to hopefully replace the opioids being used today " said Martin Jönsson, CEO of AlzeCure Pharma.
The poster is available on AlzeCure’s website: https://www.alzecurepharma.se/en/presentations-and-interviews/
