Allon and TURNS expand collaboration for Phase II schizophrenia trial
Allon Therapeutics Inc. announced that in collaboration with TURNS (Treatment Units for Research on Neurocognition and Schizophrenia) and with support from the National Association for Research in schizophrenia and Affective Disorders (NARSAD) they will add an imaging-biomarker component to the current Phase II efficacy trial evaluating AL-108 as a treatment for schizophrenia-related cognitive impairment. Three different imaging techniques will be used to investigate whether AL-108 treatment results in a change in the brain structures affected by schizophrenia. TURNS believes that based on the mechanism of action of Allon's product AL-108, structural changes in the brain should correlate with an improvement in cognitive function.
Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman, Director of the Scientific Operations Unit, Treatment Units for Research on Neurocognition and Schizophrenia, stated that the imaging-biomarker endpoint is important in our understanding of the scope of AL-108 in the treatment of schizophrenia.
"We believe the addition of the imaging-biomarker component to this study will increase our understanding of how this novel compound (AL-108) can improve a patient's cognitive performance through structural changes in the brain." Dr. Lieberman said. "Our hypothesis is that since Allon's AL-108 product is neuroprotective, targeting the microtubules and preserving the structure and function of neurons, changes in specific regions of the brain should be detectable and related to treatment response."
The TURNS-Allon study has received IRB (Institutional Review Board) approval to begin patient enrolment for the Phase II efficacy trial in schizophrenia-related cognitive impairment. The phase II trial is a multicenter, double blind, placebo-controlled study, evaluating AL-108 in chronic schizophrenia. Allon and TURNS expect to begin dosing shortly.
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