Fasudil Hydrochloride Hydrate

NEW YORK, June 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Woolsey Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage drug development company, announced that its investigational drug, CIRARA, was well tolerated and exhibited statistically significant reductions in a key biomarker, Neurofilament Light (NfL), in the REAL Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) study. REAL (Rho kinasE inhibition in Amyotrophic Lateral sclerosis) is an open-label single- armed study designed to assess preliminary safety, tolerability, and effect on clinical outcomes as well as neurodegeneration biomarkers of BRAVYL in patients with ALS. In the first cohort of patients, the study enrolled 31 participants who were treated at a dose of 180mg/day, of whom 25 completed 24 weeks of treatment. Of that number 20 continued on to the initial extension phase of the study. On the primary endpoint of safety, BRAVYL was found to be safe and well tolerated, and no participants were withdrawn from the study for drug-related adverse events. Additionally, there have been no unexpected or concerning safety findings in the extension phase, with some of the patients treated for as long as 18 months. Importantly, BRAVYL was shown to significantly decrease the biomarker Neurofilament Light Chain (NfL) following 24 weeks of treatment. NfL is a sensitive and specific marker of cytoskeletal damage in the neuronal axon, and elevated levels of NfL in blood have been shown to be a reliable indicator of the rate of ALS disease progression. Reduced NfL levels in response to disease-modifying treatments have been shown to precede discernable clinical benefits such as prolongation of event- free survival, and improvements in clinical trajectories measured using ALSFRS-R (the ALS Functional Rating Scale – Revised), Slow Vital Capacity (SVC, a measure of breathing capacity), and muscle strength — well-accepted measures for evaluating clinical outcomes in ALS studies. A statistically significant 15% decrease (improvement) in NfL from baseline to 6 months (p<0.001) was observed. Since NfL in the ALS population tends to increase by a mean of 11% in 6 months, this suggests that 180 mg/day BRAVYL could potentially reduce NfL up to 26% versus a placebo group over 6 months. Moreover, greater decreases in NfL were correlated with less deterioration on the ALSFRS-R (Spearman's coefficient = -0.45, p=0.028) implying that early clinical benefits of reducing NfL may be seen contemporaneously with the NfL reductions by CIRARA. A "propensity matched" analysis was performed wherein 12-month clinical outcomes from REAL were compared with those from a matched cohort selected by identifying 31 patients from the Ceftriaxone ALS Study database that were most similar (based on pre-treatment age, ALSFRS-R, time from onset of ALS, and other important parameters) to each REAL patient. The rate of deterioration in ALSFRS-R was improved in REAL vs. the matched controls by 28% (p=0.12). REAL patients also had a 42% (p=0.05) slower deterioration in SVC (breathing) and a 50% (p=0.06) slower rate of muscle strength decline, driven mostly by lower limb muscles with a 71% (p=0.04) reduction in weakening and a more modest 37% (p=0.22) reduction in weakening of upper limb muscles. An analysis that matched REAL patients recruited in Australia to the Australian MND Registry (a longitudinal registry, not a study) yielded directionally similar ALSFRS-R and SVC findings while muscle strength could not be analyzed as the registry does not contain such data. Given the safety and tolerability of the 180mg/day dose, REAL has been expanded and is currently screening and plans to enroll up to 15 patients at 300 mg/day. Patients will be treated for 24 weeks with an opportunity to continue with extension treatment. ABOUT ALS ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by inevitable, and often rapid, decline in patients as the disorder advances (mean survival time is only two to five years). Accordingly, the ability to impede any worsening represents a meaningful advancement in efforts to enhance the prognosis and quality of life of individuals impacted by this devastating condition. ABOUT WOOLSEY PHARMACEUTICALS Woolsey Pharmaceuticals is expanding the boundaries of medical science. Our lead indication is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a progressive and debilitating disease that ultimately is fatal. Our mission is to help usher in a new era of neurodegenerative disease treatment, saving and improving the lives of patients in need. SOURCE Woolsey Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

MONTREAL, June 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Raya Therapeutic Inc., ("Raya") a mission-driven company focused on the treatment of ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases, is pleased to announce supportive clinical data for its lead compound, fasudil (RT1968, in the treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)), as disclosed in a conference abstract for the ENCALS meeting by the investigators of the ROCK-ALS Phase 2 clinical trial. As shared in the conference abstract, the ROCK-ALS Phase 2 study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that enrolled 120 patients across sites in Germany, France, and Switzerland. Subjects were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to receive 30 mg of fasudil, 60 mg of fasudil, or placebo intravenously (iv) over 20 treatment days. Assessments were performed at 45, 90 and 180 days after treatment initiation. Primary endpoints were tolerability and safety, and secondary endpoints included, among others, motor unit number index (MUNIX), which estimates how many motor neurons innervate a muscle, and slow vital capacity (SVC), which is a measure of respiratory function. In the intention-to-treat population (118 participants), safety and tolerability were not significantly different between groups. In the secondary outcomes, MUNIX showed a significantly reduced decline with Fasudil 60 mg at 26 and 90 days, and for Fasudil 30 mg at 90 days after treatment initiation. In addition, there was a directional difference in a slower loss of SVC favoring the 60 mg of fasudil treatment at day 26, which was statistically significant in a post-hoc subgroup analysis of females at all time points, as stated in the conference abstract. The authors, who include the principal investigators of this investigator-initiated trial, conclude the following regarding the results of this trial in the abstract: "Fasudil treatment was well tolerated and safe in ALS patients. MUNIX evaluation suggests a slower loss of motor units in fasudil-treated patients compared to placebo suggesting a benefit of fasudil to be explored in further clinical trials." These preliminary results were shared in the conference abstract and have not yet been peer-reviewed. "We are excited by the encouraging data from the ROCK-ALS trial of fasudil and remain steadfast in our mission to develop breakthrough therapies for ALS and other neurodegenerative disorders," said Anjan Aralihalli, President and founder of Raya. Based on these encouraging findings, Raya will now test fasudil in more extensive studies with a larger patient cohort to further assess the compound's efficacy in ALS. In addition, Raya has reformulated fasudil into a novel formulation to enhance ease of use, especially for the approximately 80% of ALS patients that suffer from dysphagia. Anjan Aralihalli continues: "With a comprehensive combination strategy on the horizon, along with plans to initiate clinical trials next year for both mono and combination therapies, we are optimistic about the future prospects of fasudil and our entire pipeline. We are especially grateful to our licensor, University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), for their pivotal support and collaboration as the principal sponsor of this Phase 2 study. Their commitment and support have been instrumental in advancing fasudil for ALS patients." For more information about Raya and its innovative pipeline, visit or LinkedIn Members of the Raya management team will be attending the ENCALS Annual Meeting in Stockholm, Sweden from June 17-20. About Raya Raya is a mission-driven company focused on the treatment of ALS, leveraging the latest techniques for the selection and development of disease-modifying therapies. The company has a robust pipeline of five distinct clinical stage compounds that each target different pathways involved in motor neuron degeneration seen in ALS patients. The compounds were in-licensed following a rigorous selection process based on biological plausibility, clinical target engagement and functional clinical effects reflective of efficacy. This diversified approach may enable the development of combination therapies which may have a significant impact on disease progression. To develop further combination therapies, Raya entered into a strategic research collaboration with argenx last summer ( ). This partnership explores synergistic effects of their combined drug candidates in the hope of developing more effective treatment options for ALS patients. Raya is further supported by global experts and will leverage a unique patient-friendly platform trial design offering new hope in the fight against ALS. About Fasudil Fasudil is a small molecule inhibitor of the rho-associated kinase (ROCK) and is approved for the treatment of subarachnoid hemorrhage in a few Asian countries. In preclinical studies, fasudil attenuates neurodegeneration, modulates neuroinflammation, and fosters axonal regeneration. About UMG (University Medical Center Göttingen) The UMG located in Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany is one of the leading university medical facilities in Germany. It is comprised of a Medical Faculty engaged in research and teaching, a University Hospital providing patient care and Research allowing for the swift transfer of innovative therapy options into patient care and education.