SciNeuro Pharmaceuticals has concluded subject dosing in the Phase I clinical study of its oral therapeutic candidate, SNP318, to treat Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases.

SNP318 is a new, small molecule, brain-penetrant lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) inhibitor administered orally. It reduces vascular inflammation, which is a common pathological problem in many neurodegenerative diseases.

It is claimed to be the only central nervous system (CNS) penetrant Lp-PLA₂ inhibitor in clinical development that has been specifically optimised to treat CNS disorders.

The double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, single and multiple ascending dose trial is intended to assess the tolerability, safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of the therapy in healthy subjects.

The administration of SNP318 was found to be safe and well-tolerated, showing favourable exposure, strong target engagement, and a better safety profile.

These findings support further development with once-daily dosing.

Next year, the company is planning a Phase II clinical trial to evaluate the clinical benefits of SNP318 in stratified AD patient groups, marking the next stage in its worldwide development.

SciNeuro Pharmaceuticals founder and CEO Min Li said: “We are delighted to see the scheduled conclusion and informative outcomes of a well-planned and executed SNP318 Phase 1 study, thanks to the SciNeuro clinical and translation teams.

“These results represent a significant step forward in our efforts to further clinical development of SNP318. Our very special gratitude also extends to all the trial participants and the dedicated clinical team in Australia.

“We look forward to continuing our work by addressing neurovascular deficits common among AD to improve the patients’ lives affected by these devastating conditions.”