Anavex's Blarcamesine: Why It May Treat Alzheimer's Disease

Summary

• Directly or indirectly, peroxynitrite is responsible for much of the damage done to the brain in Alzheimer's disease.
• As a sigma-1 agonist, blarcamesine limits peroxynitrite formation by inhibiting intracellular calcium release.
• Blarcamesine likely scavenges peroxynitrite.  Its main oxidation product, butyrolactone, converts some of the remaining peroxynitrite into nitrate.
• Blarcamesine reverses some of the damage done to the brain by peroxynitrite by acting as an antioxidant and through the de-nitration of critical receptors, transport systems, and enzymes.
• Phase 2b/3 trial results for blarcamesine may be available as soon as the end of this year. If the results are positive, the FDA will likely grant the drug accelerated approval.

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The manner in which Anavex Life Sciences Corp.’s (NASDAQ:AVXL) blarcamesine fits into the following quote and chart helps explain why it should help treat Alzheimer’s disease:

The inflammatory mediator peroxynitrite, when generated in excess, may damage cells

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