Australia-based Prana Biotechnology is focused on commercializing research into age-related neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s diseases. The company’s research centers on the interactions between certain metals in the human body and proteins.

The company announced today that it has completed enrollment in the IMAGINE trial, a 12-month Phase II trial testing PBT2, the company’s drug in development for Alzheimer’s disease. This disease affects more than 26 million people around the globe. All currently available treatments only offer some degree of symptomatic relief, but none change the course of the disease. PBT2 has the potential to actually treat the disease.

The Phase II study is a double-blind placebo controlled trial and has enrolled 41 patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease in Melbourne, Australia. Trial participants are undergoing brain scans to measure PBT2’s effect on amyloid deposits in the brain and effects on increasing brain activity. Neuropsychological Test Battery (NTB) is being used to measure the cognition effects.

Scientific data supporting the belief that PBT2 can bring clinical benefit to patients is extensive. An earlier 12-week Alzheimer’s disease trial showed the drug significantly reduced the level of Abeta protein in the spinal fluid of treated patients as well as improving their cognitive function. PBT2 is believed to restore neuronal health by binding and redistributing brains metals (copper, zinc) that have become imbalanced.

For additional information about Prana Biotechnology and its PBT2 Alzheimer’s drug, visit www.pranabio.com

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