Russia’s Pharmasyntez and Cuba’s Center for Neurosciences CNEURO (part of the state biotechnology holding BioCubaFarma) have announced the launch of a joint project to develop a drug for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Under the collaboration, Pharmasyntez will handle technology development and the synthesis of the active substance for the Cuban-developed experimental drug Amylovis-201. Production will also be localized by the group at its plant Bratskhimsyntez.
“The manufactured product will be submitted for preclinical studies under the Russian-Cuban project ‘Study of the Neuroprotective Efficacy and Safety Evaluation of Amylovis as a Multitarget Compound for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease,'” Pharmasyntez said in a statement.
This novel multitarget compound operates on two levels simultaneously. At the extracellular level, the compound binds to toxic beta-amyloid proteins and prevents their aggregation into plaques, which disrupt connections between neurons. At the same time, by penetrating cells, Amylovis activates sigma-1 receptors, protecting mitochondria and preventing neuronal death.
