AXON Neuroscience’s Vaccine to Halt Alzheimer’s Finishes Phase 1 Clinical Trial

A revolutionary vaccine offering new hope for millions of Alzheimer’s disease patients, their physicians and caregivers has passed a Phase 1 safety trial, according to the creator of the vaccine, biotech firm AXON Neuroscience. This makes AXON the first company to successfully complete a Phase 1 study with an active immunotherapy treatment aimed at diseased tau proteins that cause neural degeneration in Alzheimer’s patients. The vaccine is designed to stimulate patients‘ immune systems to attack these diseased proteins, and halt the progress of Alzheimer’s disease.

Michal Novak, AXON’s chief science officer and company co-founder, said that “the first phase of clinical trials shows that we’ve managed to build a robust and safe vaccine for AD. That was the task of the first phase, which was met 100 percent.“

AXON will present its results from the Phase 1 study at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) at the AXON Neuroscience sponsored Symposium which will be held on July 22, 2015 at 6:00 PM in Marriott Marquis Hotel, Washington, DC.

AADVAC1 TAU VACCINE AGAINST ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. One of the hallmarks of the disease are neurofibrillary tangles, which consist of disease modified protein tau. The occurrence of these neurofibrillary lesions correlates with memory loss and disease severity. AXON’s vaccine, called AADvac1, stimulates patients’ immune systems to generate specific antibodies against diseased forms of tau protein and thus protect the brains from neurodegeneration. The vaccine is intended to be a disease modifying drug for Alzheimer’s disease.

SAFETY & TOLERABILITY OF THE AADVAC 1 VACCINE

This first-in-man, first-in-class study was designed to assess safety and tolerability of the AADvac1 active vaccine in the treatment of patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. Regular review by the Data and Safety Monitoring Board revealed no safety concerns throughout the duration of the study, and it was concluded in general that the vaccine was well tolerated, which leads to promising expectations.

AXON NEUROSCIENCE SE

AXON Neuroscience is a clinical-stage biotech company developing disease-modifying immunotherapeutics for Alzheimer's disease and Frontotemporal lobar degeneration. AXON Neuroscience develops active and passive vaccines that eliminate pathologically modified tau protein by targeting its most vulnerable part. This unique approach provides selective protection of the brain from neurodegeneration. The company employs the largest scientific team worldwide focusing exclusively on tau protein and tau-related neurodegenerative disorders.

“We believe that our vaccine can be the first Alzheimer’s disease modifying drug in the market” said Roman Sivak, AXON’s CEO. He expressed hope that the vaccine could eventually “be a preventive treatment for patients who are not suffering from AD, but could be candidates.”

Additional research information:

http://www.alzres.com/content/6/4/45

http://www.alzres.com/content/6/4/44

http://www.axon-neuroscience.eu/docs/flyer3_booth.pdf

Company materials:

http://www.axon-neuroscience.eu/docs/axon_information_brochure.pdf

http://www.axon-neuroscience.eu/docs/axon_logo.zip

ENDS

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Contact information

AXON Press Contact:
Michael Matis
AXON Neuroscience
+421 902 161 362
media@axon-neuroscience.eu