Benzinga | Oct 7, 2021 08:03AM EDT

Acumen Announces First Patient Dosed In A Phase 1 Clinical Trial Of ACU193, A Monoclonal Antibody That Selectively Targets Toxic A Oligomers For The Treatment Of Early Alzheimer's Disease

Acumen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel targeted therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease (AD), today announced dosing of the first patient in INTERCEPT-AD, the Phase 1 placebo-controlled, single- and multiple-dose clinical trial of ACU193, a monoclonal antibody that selectively targets toxic amyloid-beta oligomers (A?Os) for the treatment of early AD.

"We are very pleased to report this first clinical development milestone for ACU193," said Daniel O'Connell, President and CEO of Acumen. "We are encouraged by recent momentum and the breadth of scientific innovation that is being applied to Alzheimer's research. We believe ACU193 has distinct potential to address the continued unmet medical needs of people living with Alzheimer's disease."

ACU193 is a monoclonal antibody (mAb) discovered and developed based on its selectivity for A?Os, which Acumen believes are the most toxic and pathogenic form of A?, relative to A? monomers and amyloid plaques. A?Os have been observed to be potent neurotoxins that bind to neurons, inhibit synaptic function and induce neurodegeneration. By selectively targeting toxic A?Os, ACU193 aims to directly address what a growing body of evidence indicates is a primary underlying cause of the neurodegenerative process in AD.

"We are all very excited about evaluating ACU193 in the INTERCEPT-AD trial," said Eric Siemers MD, Chief Medical Officer for Acumen. "Our goal for this Phase 1 clinical trial is to establish proof of mechanism for ACU193, including overall safety and tolerability, pharmacokinetics and target engagement. We have also incorporated standard clinical outcomes for AD as well as exploratory assessments. Based on ACU193's unique mechanism of action, we believe it has the potential for improved efficacy and for improved safety compared to other monoclonal antibodies in development."