A team of world-renowned
scientists announced the launch of Archer Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a
new company that will use modern technologies for the identification of
novel treatments for Alzheimer's disease.
Archer Pharmaceuticals, Inc., led by Chief Executive Officer Michael
Mullan, M.B.B.S., Ph.D. and Chief Technical Officer Fiona Crawford, Ph.D.,
was created based on the groundbreaking research that their team has been
conducting in Florida for the past five years.
Archer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has several compounds that are ready to
enter clinical development, including ARC029 and ARC031. These compounds
have been manufactured at the Sarasota-based facility to U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) regulatory standards (GMP). Both are targeted at the
reduction of soluble amyloid proteins in the brain -- thought by many to be
the main culprits in degeneration of neurons in the brains of Alzheimer's
disease sufferers. In addition, Archer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has several
other agents in the preclinical stage, including Gamma Secretase Inhibitors
and BACE Inhibitors. These approaches are designed to attack the
Alzheimer's disease soluble amyloid in different ways, providing
complementary approaches to the lead compounds.
ARC029 was selected from approximately 2,000 agents as Archer
Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s first-line treatment for Alzheimer's because it was
one of the most proficient at lowering amyloid levels in preclinical
models. In these models ARC029 reduces brain amyloid levels by largely
unexplored biological mechanisms.
"ARC029 acts to lower the soluble forms of amyloid before they damage
the brain's neurons," said Dr. Mullan. "We believe that the soluble, rather
than the deposited forms, are the real culprits in the disease, and so
reducing them is our goal with this compound."
"Alzheimer's disease is a growing problem around the world, with
devastating consequences for patients, caregivers and families," said Dr.
Crawford. "We now have strategies to tackle the cause, not just the
consequences, of Alzheimer's disease. We are confident that the expertise
and dedication of the Archer staff will lead to effective treatments for
this terrible disease."
A Phase I/IIA clinical trial, that is currently being conducted in
Europe, was designed to evaluate the safety of Nilvadipine, the active
ingredient of ARC029, in Alzheimer's sufferers. The study has shown that
the drug was well tolerated in Alzheimer's patients.
While neither ARC029 nor ARC031 is currently available in the United
States (U.S.), Archer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is expecting to proceed with
U.S. clinical studies within the next few months.
Archer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. intends to fast track ARC029 and ARC031,
while continuing to work on other therapeutic approaches.
Archer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a fully independent health care company
dedicated to enhancing and extending healthy human life.
Archer Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
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