Business
Alector Initiates First-in-Human Dosing in Phase 1 Study of AL101 for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases
AL101 is the company’s second product candidate designed to increase the level of progranulin in the human brain. Progranulin has been identified as a key
About this update from Alector, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"AL101 is the company’s second product candidate designed to increase the level of progranulin in the human brain. Progranulin has been identified as a key regulator of microglial function in the brain with strong genetic links to multiple neurodegenerative disorders. SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Jan. 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alector, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALEC), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering immuno-neurology, today announced that in December 2019, it initiated dosing in healthy volunteers in its Phase 1 study of AL101, an investigational product candidate designed to increase progranulin levels. The Phase 1 study is designed to assess the safety and tolerability of AL101 in healthy volunteers, as well as the pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD) and bioavailability of intravenously and subcutaneously administered doses of AL101.\n AL101 is Alector’s second product candidate targeting the progranulin pathway to enter the clinic in the last two years. “Progranulin is a regulator of immune activity in the brain. Human genetics have shown that even moderately reduced progranulin expression may lead to an increased risk of developing neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. We strongly believe that increasing progranulin in the brain of patients suffering from these diseases may counteract disease pathology,” said Robert Paul, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer of Alector. “This study will pave the way for exploring multiple indications for progranulin therapy as well as delivery formulations of this novel investigational medicine. The results will inform our decisions on future development of AL101 for neurodegeneration,” said Robert King, Ph.D., chief development officer of Alector. The Phase 1 study of AL101 is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial expected to enroll up to 42 healthy volunteers at a clinical study site in the United States. The ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier for the AL101 study is: NCT04111666. About AL101AL101 is Alector’s wholly-owned human monoclonal antibody and second product designed to increase progranulin, a regulator of immune activity in the brain with genetic links to multiple neurodegenerative disorders. Mutations that moderately reduce the expression levels of progranulin have been shown to increase the risk of developing Al...