TORONTO and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ProMIS Neurosciences, Inc. (TSX: PMN) (OTCQB: ARFXF), a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of antibody therapeutics targeting toxic oligomers implicated in the development of neurodegenerative diseases, announced today that the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference^® (AAIC^®) has accepted several abstracts for the company’s Alzheimer’s disease (AD) program. The AAIC also invited ProMIS Chief Development Officer Dr. Johanne Kaplan to chair a session on novel immunotherapeutic approaches for the treatment of AD. AAIC 2020 is currently scheduled for July 26-30 in Amsterdam.
On the first day of the conference, Dr. Kaplan will lead the session, “Non-human: Preclinical Immunotherapeutic studies,” where she will present her abstract, “Rationally designed antibodies selective for pathogenic tau aggregates.” Dr. Kaplan’s data validate the use of ProMIS’ novel drug discovery and development platform to generate antibodies selective for both the site and shape (conformation) of novel targets predicted to become exposed on toxic tau aggregates but not on healthy forms of tau. Misfolded tau protein, along with amyloid-beta, is a recognized driver of disease and a central target for AD drug development.AAIC accepted two additional abstracts from ProMIS’ scientific team. Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Neil Cashman will present, “Targeting of misfolded, pathogenic TDP43 antibodies with rationally designed antibodies,” and Chief Physics Officer Dr. Steven Plotkin will present, “Epitope for oligomer-selective antibodies in tau and Abeta.” Both posters highlight data for antibodies that are highly selective for toxic vs. physiologically important forms of proteins implicated in AD and a variety of neurodegenerative diseases, including ALS, frontotemporal lobar dementia (FTLD) and limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE)“With the momentum and ever-increasing sense of urgency surrounding therapy development for Alzheimer’s disease, we’re honored that one of the most influential Alzheimer’s conferences will share our data across its global platform,” said Dr. Johanne Kaplan. “Interest in antibodies that demonstrate precision selectivity for toxic species of proteins, without affecting their normal forms, has never been more intense given the prospect of using gene therapy vectors to deliver antibodies directly into affected cells of the central nervous system to more effectively stop the toxicity and spread of pathogenic proteins. Data for our tau and TDP43 antibodies demonstrate this desired level of selectivity, and we look forward to both sharing our findings and learning from the global Alzheimer’s community during a time when our uniquely vulnerable patient community is in dire need of safe and effective therapies.”AAIC is the world’s largest annual meeting focused on advancing dementia science. The 2020 conference will be held from July 26-30, 2020 at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Center. For more information, visit www.alz.org/aaic.Antibody candidates that are ideal for vectorization
ProMIS develops antibody candidates that are ideal for vectorization by virtue of their ability to selectively target the toxic form of otherwise normal proteins in the brain. Using its novel drug discovery and development platform, ProMIS has generated an arsenal of antibody candidates for Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and ALS. Its Alzheimer’s portfolio includes candidates that selectively target toxic forms of tau and amyloid beta, offering a critical one-two punch for AD therapy. The company’s Parkinson’s disease candidates likewise show precision selectivity for toxic forms of alpha-synuclein. Its antibody candidates for ALS target the toxic form of TDP43.ProMIS’ lead candidate, PMN310, is a monoclonal antibody for Alzheimer’s disease that is well-positioned to be a next-generation drug candidate to aducanumab by virtue of its ability to more selectively target amyloid-beta oligomers (AßO), a root cause of Alzheimer’s disease. Preclinical studies show PMN310 demonstrates a high degree of binding to AßOs without binding to non-toxic forms of Aß protein. Experimental data also indicate that PMN310 has greater selectivity for toxic species versus other Aß-directed antibodies, including aducanumab.About ProMIS Neurosciences
ProMIS Neurosciences, Inc. is a development stage biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing antibody therapeutics selectively targeting toxic oligomers implicated in the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, in particular Alzheimer’s disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). The Company’s proprietary target discovery platform is based on the use of two complementary thermodynamic, computational discovery engines – ProMIS and Collective Coordinates – to predict novel targets known as Disease Specific Epitopes on the molecular surface of misfolded proteins. Using this unique precision approach, the Company is developing novel antibody therapeutics for AD, ALS and PD. ProMIS is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, with offices in Cambridge, Massachusetts. ProMIS is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol PMN, and on the OTCQB Venture Market under the symbol ARFXF.To learn more, visit us at www.promisneurosciences.com, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn and listen to the podcast, Saving Minds, at iTunes or Spotify.For media inquiries, please contact:
Shanti Skiffington
[email protected]
Tel. 617 921-0808For Investor Relations please contact:
Alpine Equity Advisors
Nicholas Rigopulos, President
[email protected]
Tel. 617 901-0785The TSX has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This information release contains certain forward-looking information. Such information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by statements herein, and therefore these statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. All forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to it as well as other factors. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified by the Company in its public securities filings, actual events may differ materially from current expectations. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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