Benzinga | Nov 4, 2021 07:53AM EDT

Alterity Therapeutics Highlights New Publications On ATH434 To Treat Neurodegenerative Diseases

Alterity Therapeutics ((ASX: ATH, NASDAQ:ATHE) ("Alterity" or "the Company"), a biotechnology company dedicated to developing disease modifying treatments for neurodegenerative conditions, today announced the publication of two preclinical studies demonstrating the potential of ATH434 to treat Parkinsonian disorders.

Non-motor symptoms (NMS) are common in patients with Parkinsonian disorders, such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and Multiple System Atrophy. Parkinson's disease patients experience gastrointestinal (GI) complications, cognitive deficits, autonomic dysfunction, and mood disturbance and these non-motor manifestations are an important source of morbidity and reduced quality of life. As published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease, "ATH434 Reverses Colorectal Dysfunction in the A53T Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease" presents results from a preclinical study investigating the effect of ATH434 on GI complications of PD.

"This published study provides further evidence of the potential for ATH434 to modify the course of Parkinson's disease. The reversal of colonic dysfunction in this preclinical model of PD may translate to clinical benefit in alleviating non-motor symptoms for individuals living with the disease," said David Stamler, M.D., Chief Executive Officer, Alterity. "Practicing clinicians are well aware of the substantial impact that these symptoms have on the quality of life of individuals with Parkinson's disease. We are currently conducting additional preclinical studies to evaluate the potential of ATH434 for the treatment of PD and look forward to advancing it into a future proof-of-concept study."

Common gastrointestinal complications associated with PD include swallowing difficulty, delayed stomach emptying, slower nutrient absorption from the gut, and chronic constipation. These complications are thought to be caused by damage to the neurons in the enteric nervous system due to the accumulation of alpha-synuclein. ATH434 has been shown preclinically to reduce the aggregation of alpha-synuclein by binding and redistributing excess iron in areas of pathology.

In the PD animal study, ATH434 treatment was started after GI dysfunction was established and resulted in a reversal of slowed colonic propulsion and gut transit deficits. Importantly, the study concluded that ATH434 can reverse some of the GI deficits and damage to the enteric nervous system, and thus may have potential clinical benefit in alleviating the GI complications associated with PD.

The publication can be accessed here.