CervoMed Publishes Positive Results from AscenD-LB Phase 2a Trial in Peer-Reviewed Journal that Supports the Therapeutic Potential of Neflamapimod in Dementia with Lewy Bodies
-Integrated summary of all previously published Phase 2a clinical results, together with the first peer reviewed publication of EEG and MRI results, substantially derisk the ongoing RewinD-LB Phase 2b trial of neflamapimod in dementia with Lewy bodies -
-RewinD-LB trial remains on track to complete enrollment in the first half of 2024 and report primary efficacy results in the second half of 2024-
“The publication of the EEG and MRI results round out the Phase 2a data that supports the advancement of neflamapimod into late-stage development as a treatment for DLB,” said
Results published for the first time in the JPAD manuscript are as follows:
- An integrated summary of the effects of neflamapimod 40mg three-times-a-day (TID) compared to placebo in the AscenD-LB Phase 2a clinical trial across all endpoints in (1) the overall patient population that contains a mixed population of patients with DLB with evidence of AD (i.e., with pre-treatment plasma ptau181 level above the pre-defined cutoff for AD co-pathology) and patients with pure DLB (i.e., with pre-treatment plasma ptau181 below cutoff); and (2) in the pure DLB patient population alone. As evident in the table, compared to the response in the overall patient population, the magnitude of the neflamapimod treatment effect vs. placebo is substantially higher in the pure DLB patient population. In addition, the pure DLB patients show significant improvement on working memory, assessed by the International Shopping
List Test (ISLT) recognition, that is not evident in the overall patient population.
Overall Study Population | Patients With Pure DLB (Plasma ptau181 < cutoff) | |||||||
N= NFMD TID, Placebo | Difference1 (95% CI) |
p-value | Cohen’s d Effect size |
N= NFMD TID, Placebo | Difference1 (95% CI) |
p-value | Cohen’s d Effect size |
|
NTB |
19,37 | +0.17 (0.00,0.35) |
0.049 | 0.47 | 11,19 | +0.21 (-0.07,0.49) |
0.13 | 0.56 |
Attention | 19,36 | +0.28 (0.04,0.51) |
0.023 | 0.41 | 11,18 | +0.42 (0.07,0.78) |
0.023 | 0.78 |
CDR-SB | 20,38 | -0.56 (-0.96, -0.16) |
0.007 | 0.31 | 11,22 | -0.60 (-1.04, -0.06) |
0.031 | 0.74 |
TUG | 20,38 | -1.4 (-2.6, -0.2) |
0.024 | 0.50 | 11,20 | -3.1 (-4.7, -1.6) |
<0.001 | 0.74 |
ISLT | 20,42 | +0.32 (-0.48,1.12) |
NS | 0.15 | 11,22 | +2.1 (0.0,4.2) |
0.053 | 0.55 |
ISLT- RECOGNITION | 19,39 | +0.47 (-0.17,1.11) |
0.15 | 0.17 | 10,21 | +1.4 (0.02,2.5) |
0.024 | 1.0 |
Table: AscenD-LB Results in Neflamapimod 40mg TID, in Overall Patient Population and in Pure DLB Patients
1 Difference between neflamapimod 40mg TID and placebo from mixed model for repeated measures (MMRM) analysis. Improvement reflected by negative sign for CDR-SB and TUG and positive sign for other measures. Abbreviations: NFMD – neflamapimod; NTB — Neuropsychological Test Battery; CDR-SB — Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Boxes; TUG — Time Up and Go test; ISLT — International Shopping
- EEG results from the AscenD-LB Phase 2a trial, which demonstrated that neflamapimod 40mg TID treatment led to improvement (p=0.01 vs. placebo TID) in beta functional connectivity assessed by EEG. Deficits in beta band functional connectivity may be a key differentiator between DLB and Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
- In a prior Phase 2a study in AD, neflamapimod treatment led to an increased volume and functional connectivity of the basal forebrain by MRI. Specifically, the analysis demonstrated that the volume of the nucleus basalis of meynert (NbM, the major cholinergic neuronal cluster in the basal forebrain) was higher at the end of 12 weeks neflamapimod treatment (EOT, mean 3.1% higher vs. baseline, p=0.03). Treatment with neflamapimod was also associated with higher functional dynamic connectivity between the NbM and deep grey matter (DGM) at EOT (mean 11% higher vs. baseline, p=0.04).
Key learnings from AscenD-LB have been incorporated into the ongoing RewinD-LB Phase 2b trial of neflamapimod, including the use of a single dose regimen of neflamapimod 40mg TID, enrolling patients with pure DLB and selecting CDR-SB as the primary endpoint. To further evaluate potential effects on the underlying disease process, structural and functional MRI will be evaluated in a 40-patient subgroup to assess treatment effects on atrophy of the basal forebrain, as well its functional connectivity.
About the RewinD-LB Phase 2b Study in Dementia with Lewy Bodies
The Phase 2b study, named RewinD-LB, is a randomized, 16-week double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating oral neflamapimod (40mg three times per day) in up to 160 patients with prodromal dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) or mild dementia due to DLB. Patients with Alzheimer's disease-related co-pathology, assessed by a blood biomarker (plasma ptau181), will be excluded. Patients completing the 16-week placebo-controlled study period will be able to continue in the study while receiving open label neflamapimod treatment for an additional 32 weeks. The primary endpoint in the study is change in CDR-SB, and secondary endpoints include the TUG test, a cognitive test battery, and the Clinician’s Global Impression of Change (CGIC). The study includes 41 sites (30 in
About CervoMed
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes express and implied forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, regarding the intentions, plans, beliefs, expectations or forecasts for the future of the Company, including, but not limited to, the therapeutic potential of neflamapimod and anticipated timing of clinical milestones. Terms such as "believes," "estimates," "anticipates," "expects," "plans," "intends," "may," "could," "might," "will," "should," "approximately," "potential" or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes may identify these forward-looking statements. Although there is believed to be reasonable basis for each forward-looking statement contained herein, forward-looking statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, many of which are beyond the Company's control and, as a result, actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement. Particular risks and uncertainties include, among other things, those related to: the Company's available cash resources and the availability of additional funds on acceptable terms; the results of the Company’s clinical trials; the likelihood and timing of any regulatory approval of neflamapimod or the nature of any feedback the Company may receive from the
Investor Contact:
PJ Kelleher
Investors@cervomed.com
617-430-7579
Source: CervoMed Inc.