Positive results for BioVie’s Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s phase 2 trials

BioVie has announced positive results from two phase 2 trials which have been assessing NE3107’s efficacy in treating Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Throughout the trials, Parkinson’s patients treated with NE3107 and levodopa saw significant improvements compared to patients treated with levodopa alone. It also appeared that Alzheimer’s patients treated with NE3107 saw improved cognition and biomarker levels.

The NM201 trial has been assessing the use of NE3107 to treat PD alongside levodopa. The trial included 45 patients who were randomised to either receive 20mg of NE3107 twice daily for 28 days or a placebo.

Joseph Palumbo, CMO at BioVie, commented: “NE3107 shows promise, and if the current findings are confirmed, it may represent one of the most significant advances in Parkinson’s treatment in decades. The NE3107-levodopa combination’s ability to provide 3+ points improvement one the part 3 score compared to levodopa-alone is a very meaningful clinical benefit according to PD experts. It may be more beneficial for patients whose disease is less advanced as seen from the 6+ point superiority on the part 3 score for patients over 70 years old.”

Similarly, its phase 2 trial in AD enrolled 23 patients, and measured changes in the patients’ cognition through various tests, biomarker changes, and various other symptoms. The patients were treated with 20mg of NE3107 twice daily for three months.

After three months of treatment, patients demonstrated enhanced cognition compared to the baseline, as well as showing improvements in daily function, inflammation, and 18 out of 22 patients with abnormal baseline scans showed improvement in at least one brain region from advanced functional MRI studies.

Dr Sheldon Jordan, the principal investigator, said “Through our work, we are seeking to deepen our understanding of brain degeneration and ultimately identify promising treatments that have the potential to counteract the degenerative process. Results from this trial provide encouraging signals that NE3107 may offer significant potential to reduce neuroinflammation and potentially improve metabolic parameters such as glutathione in the brain, and warrant further study in this patient population.”

Betsy Goodfellow