(By Balaseshan) Prana Biotechnology Ltd. (NASDAQ: PRAN), a development stage company, said it has closed recruitment in the Reach2HD Phase 2a clinical trial using PBT2 in patients with Huntington Disease (HD).
The 6 month double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial in patients with early to mid-stage Huntington Disease met its enrolment target of 100 patients ahead of schedule. Additional patients may be included in the trial, subject to final procedures this week.
The Reach2HD trial was coordinated in conjunction with the Huntington Study Group (HSG) across 20 clinical sites in the USA and Australia.
Huntington Disease is a complex and severely debilitating genetic, neurodegenerative disease, for which there is no cure. The disease often affects young adults and, whilst associated with severe physical movement symptoms, progressively impacts the mind and emotions as well.
The disease causes incapacitation and death about 15-25 years after onset. At this time there is only one marketed drug for the alleviation of some of the involuntary motor symptoms associated with the disease.
The disease affects 30,000 people in the U.S. and about 70,000 worldwide. There are no drugs in development that have established clinical evidence for treating cognitive decline.
In this trial, Prana is studying the safety and tolerability of PBT2 in Huntington patients and investigating potential benefits in cognition, motor coordination, behavioural, functional and psychiatric effects. In addition the trial will pilot biomarker and imaging assessments.
The company is engaged in develop therapeutic drugs designed to treat the underlying causes of degeneration of the brain and the eye as the aging process progresses, initially focusing on Alzheimer's disease.
PRAN is trading up 0.86% at $2.24 on Wednesday. The stock has been trading between $1.41 and $3.06 for the past 52 weeks.