Cognition Therapeutics publishes research on the potential of zervimesine (CT1812) for treating dry AMD

(Image Credit: AdobeStock/Studio Romantic)

Clinical stage company Cognition Therapeutics has announced the publication of a manuscript reviewing recent work supporting the potential of zervimesine (CT1812), a small molecule drug candidate to treat dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).¹ The manuscript was published in the Journal of Nature Scientific Reports, according to a news release.

The studies included in the manuscript include an analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collected from participants of 2 Alzheimer disease clinical trials to identify the impact of zervimesine treatment on disease-relevant proteins, a separate analysis of said CSF samples to identify pathways associated with dry AMD that were altered by treatment with zervimesine, and an in vitro study that investigated zervimesine’s ability to rescue important cellular processes in a cell model of dry AMD. The in vitro study was conducted in collaboration with researchers at the University of Southampton in the UK.¹

“We analyzed CSF samples from studies of zervimesine in adults with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease,” said Mary Hamby, PhD, vice president of Cognition Therapeutics, in the release. “From this, we found that treatment with zervimesine altered proteins and pathways strongly associated with geographic atrophy (GA) and macular degeneration. These findings support the potential of zervimesine to impact pathways impaired in retinal diseases.”

“Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells are responsible for breaking down the cellular debris generated by photoreceptors, which are specialized cells in the retina necessary for sight,” stated Arjuna Ratnayaka, PhD, who worked on the in vitro study with Cognition Therapeutics, in the release. “The ability of RPE cells to carry out this function is essential for the health and survival of photoreceptors. We modeled this in the laboratory and showed that RPE cells’ capacity to break down photoreceptor outer segments (debris) was compromised when when the cells are exposed to amyloid beta oligomers or oxidative stress. However, the addition of zervimesine and other compounds from Cognition Therapeutics’ library normalized the function of RPE cells.”

Additionally, Cognition Therapeutics reported a positive outcome of an analysis of masked data from its ongoing MAGNIFY Phase 2 trial for zervimesine (CT1812) in adults with GA secondary to dry AMD.² Results from the futility analysis show that the first 57 participants who completed at least 6 months of dosing showed that zervimesine-treated patients were experiencing a slower lesion growth rate compared to placebo, according to a news release.

The MAGNIFY study has enrolled 100 participants so far, who were scheduled to complete a final clinic visit in February 2025. Cognition Therapeutics intends to unblind the study at the end of February and complete analysis of the study, including 12 months of dosing, in Q2 2025.²

Zervimesine is an investigational oral, once-daily pill being developed for the treatment of CNS diseases, including Alzheimer disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Although Cognition Therapeutics believes that zervimesine has the potential to alter the biological processes that contribute to dry AMD, the company still intends to focus its financial resources on Alzheimer disease and dementia in Lewy bodies.¹ Concluding the MAGNIFY study early will allow the company to then preserve financial resources for other indications.²

References:

1. Cognition Therapeutics publishes research supporting the potential of zervimesine in dry AMD. News release. Cognition Therapeutics. February 27, 2025. Accessed February 28, 2025. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/02/27/3033753/0/en/Cognition-Therapeutics-Publishes-Research-Supporting-the-Potential-of-Zervimesine-in-Dry-AMD.html

2. Cognition Therapeutics successfully passes predefined futility analysis of Phase 2 study of oral zervimesine (CT1812) in geographic atrophy. News release. Cognition Therapeutics. February 26, 2025. Accessed February 28, 2025. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/02/26/3032770/0/en/Cognition-Therapeutics-Successfully-Passes-Pre-defined-Futility-Analysis-of-Phase-2-Study-of-Oral-Zervimesine-CT1812-in-Geographic-Atrophy.html