Aussie firm
WHO 'names' dementia treatment
ZoeSmith
A once-a-day pill that could be
the "holy grail" in the treat -
ment of Alzheimer's disease is
a step closer to reality after a
huge win for the Aussie firm
behind the potential wonder
drug.
The World Health Organisation
has granted Actinogen
Medical the nonproprietary
name, or generic name, "emestedastat"
for its new drug Xanamem.
The move recognises
Xanamem as the first drug
named in its class of enzyme inhibitors
targeting cortisol synthesis
in the brain.
It is a huge milestone for the
firm as few Australian-developed
drugs have achieved the
WHO's "first-in-class" designation.
Although it is not a cure,
Xanamem's ability to slow
down the course of Alzheimer's
disease and address cognitive
decline could offer new hope to
patients.
Positive results from two im-
portant phase two trials, which
focused on patients with cognitive
dysfunction and depression
and mild to moderate
Alzheimer's, have paved the
way for larger trials and it is
hoped final results will be available
next year.
Xanamem is specifically designed
to prevent the excess
production of cortisol in areas
of the brain most affected by
Alzheimer's disease.
This potential could extend
to other dementias such as
Lewy-Body disease, frontotemporal
dementia, and dementia
associated with
Parkinson's disease, Actinogen's
chief executive Professor
Steve Gourlay said.
Dr Gourlay said the firm's
nod from the WHO was "a
great Australian story".
"The WHO has a naming
process where you apply and
they give you a name, it's not
the brand name, it's the name
that will always be used for that
particular drug," he said.
"What's unique about our
situation is that in giving us the
new name, emestedastat, the
committee recognised that this
is the first of its class to ever be
named in this way."
Dr Gourlay said Actinogen
was bringing "a truly novel and
innovative therapy" to patients
and the hope was that the drug
would be applicable not just to
Alzheimer's but to other types
of dementia as well as potentially
Parkinson's, depression
and other related psychiatric
illnesses.
Alzheimer's disease, which
results in worsening symptoms
over a number of years, affected
411,100 Australians in 2023,
according to the Australian Institute
of Health and Welfare.
Actinogen adviser Associate
Professor Michael Woodward
said Xanamem "may offer
stabilisation and hopefully a
slower decline for people living
with dementia".
He said anything that could
safely assist to reduce the impact
of Alzheimer's disease was
"welcome progress"
Some PR work from management today.
