NextCure Presents Preclinical Data on NC181, a Novel Therapeutic Candidate Targeting ApoE4, for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
September 26 2023 - 3:05PM
NextCure, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXTC), a clinical-stage
biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering and developing
novel, first-in-class immunomedicines to treat cancer and other
immune-related diseases, including neuroinflammatory disease, today
announced the presentation of preclinical data relating to NC181, a
novel humanized antibody targeting ApoE4, for the treatment of
Alzheimer’s disease (AD), at the 2nd Annual Neurodegeneration
Targets, Drug Discovery for Progressive Central Nervous System
Disorders conference.
Published research has shown that different forms of the
apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene affect the risk of developing AD in
distinct ways, with the APOE4 allele most highly associated with
and linked to increased risk. The ApoE4 isoform increases ab
amyloid plaque formation, promotes Tau spreading, disrupts the
blood brain barrier (BBB), promotes neurovasculature leakage, and
increases microglia-mediated inflammation, which has been shown to
lead to cognitive decline. Deletion of APOE has been demonstrated
to limit disease in multiple AD models.
In preclinical AD animal models, NC181 has demonstrated
differentiation from amyloid targeted therapies. Key findings from
the study include:
- NC181 binds to amyloid associated ApoE4, resulting in amyloid
clearance and prevention of amyloid deposition in mice.
- Clearance of the ApoE plaques
- Normalizes neuroinflammation and restores neuroimmune
homeostasis.
- Improves vasodilation in amyloid laden blood vessels, which
results in less vascular toxicity and lower vascular leakage.
“The tremendous need for novel therapies to prevent, delay the
onset, slow the progression, and improve the symptoms of
Alzheimer’s disease remains,” said Solomon Langermann, Ph.D.,
NextCure’s chief scientific officer. “In collaboration with Dr.
David Holtzman, Professor of Neurology, Director, Hope Center for
Neurological Disorders and Director, Knight Alzheimer’s Disease
Research Center, at Washington University in St. Louis, we
generated NC181, which has been shown to bind a key epitope of
ApoE4 seen during disease. The antibody reduced amyloid-b plaque
load and ApoE-mediated inflammation in preclinical AD models.”
In addition to its role in amyloid deposition, ApoE is also a
major mediator of a condition known as Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy
(CAA), where deposition of amyloid-b occurs in leptomeningeal and
cortical blood vessels. This results in BBB dysfunction, ischemia,
and a risk for microhemorrhages leading to cognitive
dysfunction.
Additional studies to characterize NC181 as a potential
therapeutic for AD and CAA are ongoing.
About NextCure, Inc.NextCure is a
clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering
and developing novel, first-in-class immunomedicines to treat
cancer and other immune-related diseases. Through our proprietary
FIND-IO™ platform, we study various immune cells to discover and
understand targets and structural components of immune cells and
their functional impact in disease to develop immunomedicines. Our
focus is to bring hope and new treatments to patients who do not
respond to current cancer therapies, patients whose cancer
progresses despite treatment and patients with cancer types not
adequately addressed by available
therapies. http://www.nextcure.com
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking
StatementsStatements made in this press release that are
not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Words such as
“expects,” “believes,” “intends,” “hope,” “forward” and similar
expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Examples of forward-looking statements in this press release
include, among others, statements about NextCure’s plans,
objectives, and intentions with respect to the discovery of
immunomedicine targets and the discovery and development of
immunomedicines. Forward-looking statements involve substantial
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those projected in any forward-looking statement.
Such risks and uncertainties include, among others: our limited
operating history and no products approved for commercial sale; our
history of significant losses; our need to obtain additional
financing; risks related to clinical development, including that
early clinical data may not be confirmed by later clinical results;
risks that pre-clinical research may not be confirmed in clinical
trials; risks related to marketing approval and commercialization;
and the unproven approach to the discovery and development of
product candidates based on our FIND-IO platform. More detailed
information on these and additional factors that could affect
NextCure’s actual results are described in NextCure’s filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”),
including NextCure’s most recent Form 10-K and subsequent Form
10-Q. You should not place undue reliance on any
forward-looking statements. NextCure assumes no
obligation to update any forward-looking statements, even if
expectations change.
Investor InquiriesTimothy Mayer, Ph.D.NextCure,
Inc.Chief Operating Officer(240) 762-6486IR@nextcure.com
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