NT-0796 Reduces Neuroinflammation in Parkinson's Early-Stage Trial

NodThera, a clinical-stage biotechnology firm, has reported promising results from its Phase Ib/IIa clinical trial of NT-0796, an oral NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor. The drug was designed to treat chronic inflammatory diseases and has shown significant potential in addressing Parkinson's disease by reducing neuroinflammation.

The study involved Parkinson's patients and focused on the impact of NT-0796 on inflammatory biomarkers in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Over a period of 28 days, the drug led to a mean reduction in key pro-inflammatory biomarkers such as IL-1β, IL-6, CCL2, CXCL1, and CXCL8 in the CSF. These levels were brought down to those comparable with healthy elderly individuals, indicating a reversal of neuroinflammation mediated by the NLRP3 pathway.

Furthermore, NT-0796 also showed a reduction in neurodegenerative markers like NfL and sTREM2, suggesting a positive impact on neurodegeneration associated with Parkinson's. In subjects with elevated acute phase proteins CRP and fibrinogen, significant decreases were observed, aligning with NT-0796's peripheral anti-inflammatory effects previously noted in healthy elderly volunteers.

Alan Watt, CEO of NodThera, expressed enthusiasm for the findings, highlighting the drug's potential to alter the treatment landscape for Parkinson's disease, which currently lacks disease-modifying therapies. He pointed out that NT-0796's efficacy in reducing neuroinflammation is a significant step towards halting the progression of the disease, which is traditionally managed symptomatically.

Safety and tolerability were also favorable for NT-0796, with mild and transient adverse events and no serious adverse events reported. The drug's pharmacokinetics suggested suitability for once-daily dosing, and its presence in the brain was maintained over a 24-hour period.

The study's results will be presented at the AD/PDTM 2024 conference in Lisbon, Portugal, emphasizing the drug's potential to treat Parkinson's disease by modulating inflammation in the brain, a critical factor in the disease's progression.

NodThera's NT-0796 has also shown promise in preclinical studies for reversing diet-induced obesity and inflammation in mice. The company is currently conducting a Phase Ib/IIa clinical study in obese subjects with cardiovascular risk, with results expected by the end of the second quarter of 2024.

NodThera is a clinical-stage biotech company that develops NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors to treat chronic inflammatory diseases. The company's leadership team combines expertise in pharmaceutical neuroscience and precision molecular chemistry. Its lead clinical candidates are oral, small molecule NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors that have shown significant anti-inflammatory effects and the ability to penetrate different brain areas, offering opportunities to treat various conditions. NodThera is supported by top-tier investors and is headquartered in Boston, MA, with additional operations in Cambridge, UK, and Seattle, WA.