Cerevance, a company dedicated to advancing precision therapeutics for central nervous system (CNS) disorders, has recently initiated the Phase 2 clinical study of CVN424 in individuals diagnosed with early-stage Parkinson's disease. This study, named ASCEND (A novel Selective Compound to ENable Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease), represents a significant step forward in investigating CVN424 as an innovative treatment option for those who have recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and have not yet undergone levodopa treatment.

Craig Thompson, the Chief Executive Officer of Cerevance, expressed enthusiasm about the ASCEND study, building on promising results from a prior Phase 2 trial of CVN424 as an adjunctive therapy for later-stage Parkinson's disease. The objective is to demonstrate CVN424's advantages over existing treatments in improving both motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The company aims to provide patients with an innovative, safe, and well-tolerated treatment that addresses various facets of the disease.

The Phase 2 ASCEND study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial assessing the efficacy and safety of CVN424 in early, untreated Parkinson's disease. Sixty individuals aged 30 and older will receive a once-daily dose of either CVN424 150 mg or placebo. The primary endpoint is CVN424’s ability to improve motor symptoms and their impact on daily activities after 12 weeks, measured by Parts II and III of the Movement Disorder Society’s Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS). The study incorporates digital health technologies for objective measures of disease progression. The findings will inform the design of a Phase 3 study for early-stage Parkinson’s disease, potentially assessing CVN424's ability to delay disease progression and postpone levodopa treatment initiation.

CVN424 is a first-in-class non-dopamine therapy selectively modulating GPR6, an orphan G-protein coupled receptor. Its expression is confined to striatal projection neurons associated with the indirect (striatopallidal) pathway crucial in movement control. CVN424 shows promise in improving both motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, demonstrating safety and tolerability without dopaminergic side effects. Additionally, it may have disease-delaying effects. For further study details, refer to ClinicalTrials.gov and ASCEND Clinical Trial.

 

Source: globenewswire.com

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