PURCHASE, N.Y., May 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cognition Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CGTX), a clinical-stage company developing drugs that treat neurodegenerative disorders, reported preclinical data this week at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) showing the potential for zervimesine (CT1812) to protect retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells from damage in dry age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD).
"Dry AMD is driven by a number of factors that contribute to the death of retinal cells, leading to irreversible vision loss," stated Mary Hamby, PhD, vice president of research. "Preclinical research presented at ARVO supports our understanding of zervimesine’s potential for supporting retinal cell health and function."
Zervimesine is an oral drug candidate that has been shown to reach therapeutic concentrations in the eye and was investigated in the Phase 2 MAGNIFY clinical trial (NCT05893537). It binds to a receptor (TMEM97, also called the sigma-2 receptor), which is found on cells in the retina and brain. A poster presented by research scientist, Britney Lizama, PhD, shows that this receptor regulates the ability of retinal cells to take in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), a major fuel source for cells. The process that cells use to take in lipids is damaged in dry AMD, weakening the retinal cells and contributing to their mortality.
A second poster presented by Drs. Hamby and Lizama, shows zervimesine may protect retinal cells from the onslaught of oxidized lipids. In dry AMD, oxidized lipids build up in the retina. Together with other waste products, these lipids form aggregates called drusen, which is a hallmark of dry AMD. Drusen is believed to damage RPE cells and contribute to their eventual loss and subsequent loss of photoreceptors.
These data add to our growing understanding of zervimesine’s mechanism and its potential impact across age-related degenerative diseases. In a Phase 2 proof-of-concept clinical trial in 100 people with geographic atrophy secondary to dry AMD, treatment with zervimesine was shown to slow the rate of GA lesion growth by 28.6% compared to placebo. As a result, people treated with zervimesine had smaller GA lesions on average at the end of the study than did their placebo counterparts. In addition to dry AMD, zervimesine’s potential to rescue cellular function in degenerative diseases is supported by robust clinical results from studies in people with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies.
Hamby ME, Lizama BN, Reaver A, Knezovich N, Caldwell J, Di Caro V, Caggiano AO
Title:
Delineating Mechanisms of Sigma-2 Receptor Modulators in Regulating Retinal Pigment Epithelial Lipid Uptake
Authors:
Lizama BN, Reaver A, Di Caro V, Caggiano AO, Hamby ME
Posters are available on the company’s Publications webpage.
About Dry AMD Dry AMD is the more prevalent of two forms of age-related macular degeneration and accounts for up to 90% of cases. Dry AMD is caused by damage and loss of light-sensing cells in the macula, the part of the retina responsible for central vision. The gradual loss of central vision associated with dry AMD can present limitations in reading and driving. As the disease progresses in severity to geographic atrophy, lesions form on the macula that create a blind spot in central vision. These lesions grow over time leading to irreversible loss of central vision.
About Zervimesine (CT1812) Zervimesine (CT1812) is an investigational oral, once-daily pill being developed for the treatment of CNS diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). While these diseases have different symptoms, both are associated with the buildup of certain proteins in the brain - Aβ and ɑ-synuclein. As these proteins bind to neurons, they can damage and ultimately destroy the neurons. This results in a progressive loss in a person’s ability to learn, recall memories, move efficiently, or communicate. These diseases progress relentlessly and ultimately result in death. If zervimesine can interrupt the toxic effects of these proteins, it may be able to slow progression of disease and improve the lives of those suffering from Alzheimer’s and DLB. Zervimesine has been generally well tolerated in clinical studies to date.
The USAN Council has adopted zervimesine as the United States Adopted Name (USAN) for CT1812.
About Cognition Therapeutics, Inc. Cognition Therapeutics, Inc., is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing innovative, small molecule therapeutics targeting age-related degenerative disorders of the central nervous system. We are currently investigating our lead candidate, zervimesine (CT1812), in clinical programs in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Alzheimer’s disease, including the ongoing START study (NCT05531656) in early Alzheimer’s disease. We believe zervimesine can regulate pathways that are impaired in these diseases though its interaction with the sigma-2 receptor, a mechanism that is functionally distinct from other approaches for the treatment of degenerative diseases. More about Cognition Therapeutics and our pipeline can be found at https://cogrx.com.
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Contact Information: Cognition Therapeutics, Inc. info@cogrx.com
