Axovant Sciences

Axovant Sciences, Ltd. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel therapeutics to address the cognitive, functional and behavioral aspects of dementia and related neurological disorders.[1] The Hamilton, Bermuda-based company has offices in Basel, Switzerland and New York City and is traded on the New York Stock Exchange.[2][3]

Axovant was founded by Vivek Ramaswamy, who also serves as the company's CEO.[4] Ramaswamy founded Roivant Sciences in May 2014, and created Axovant as a subsidiary of Roivant in October of that year.[5][6] Axovant's initial public offering in 2015 was the highest grossing IPO in the biotechnology industry to date.

Axovant's Chief Development Officer is Dr. Lawrence Friedhoff, who previously led the development and approval of Aricept (donepezil), the most widely used drug for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.[7][8]

Pipeline

Axovant is currently developing two novel compounds: intepirdine (RVT-101), a 5HT6 receptor antagonist, and nelotanserin (RVT-102), an inverse agonist of the 5HT2A receptor. In addition, the company is evaluating combinations of cholinesterase inhibitors with peripheral muscarinic receptor antagonists.

The company's most advanced drug candidate is intepirdine, a potential add-on treatment to donepezil for patients with Alzheimer's disease and patients with dementia with Lewy bodies.[9][6][10] Axovant acquired this molecule (previously known as SB-742457) from GlaxoSmithKline in December 2014. [5][11] Intepirdine is currently being evaluated in a Phase 3 clinical study for patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.[12] It is also being tested in an ongoing Phase 2b study for patients with dementia with Lewy Bodies, as well as a Phase 2 study evaluating its effect on gait and balance for patients with dementia.[13][14]

Axovant is simultaneously developing a second compound, nelotanserin. Axovant acquired global rights to nelotanserin from Roivant Sciences, which had previously bought those rights from Arena Pharmaceuticals.[1][10] Axovant has two ongoing Phase 2 clinical trials examining the use of nelotanserin for the treatment of visual hallucinations in subjects with Lewy Body Dementia as well as rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies.[10][15][16]

Axovant is investigating combinations of cholinesterase inhibitors with glycopyrrolate. Cholinesterase inhibitors have known gastrointestinal side-effects. Glycopyrrolate, as a muscarinic receptor antagonist, may reduce the side effects of cholinesterase inhibitors. The company is developing RVT-103, a combination of glycopyrrolate and donepezil, and RVT-104, a combination of glycopyrrolate and high-dose rivastigmine. [17]

References

  1. 1 2 "10-Q". www.sec.gov. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
  2. ↑ "Axovant Investors".
  3. ↑ "AXON Stock News - Axovant Sciences Stock". Seeking Alpha. Retrieved 12 Jun 2015.
  4. ↑ "Axovant Leadership Team".
  5. 1 2 Pollack, Andrew (11 Jun 2015). "Shares of Axovant, Alzheimer's Drug Developer, Surge on Trading Debut". New York Times.
  6. 1 2 Karerat, Raif (12 Jun 2015). "Axovant Sciences founded by Indian American Vivek Ramaswamy has biggest US biotech IPO". The American Bazaar. Germantown, Maryland: Global Media Holding.
  7. ↑ "Interview with Lawrence Friedhoff of Axovant Sciences - Journal for Clinical Studies". Journal for Clinical Studies. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
  8. ↑ Anderson, Pauline (24 July 2015). "Investigational Drug Added to Donepezil Shows Promise in AD". MedScape. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
  9. ↑ Staff (12 Jun 2015). "Axovant doubles in value after $315M IPO". Pharmaceutical Processing. Associated Press.
  10. 1 2 3 Crow, David (2015-11-02). "Axovant prepares to start pair of dementia drugs trials". Financial Times. ISSN 0307-1766. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
  11. ↑ House, Douglas W. (5 Jun 2015). "Axovant Sciences on deck for IPO". Seeking Alpha.
  12. ↑ "Study Evaluating RVT-101 in Subjects With Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease on Donepezil Treatment: MINDSET Study - Full Text View - ClinicalTrials.gov". clinicaltrials.gov. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
  13. ↑ "Study Evaluating Intepirdine (RVT-101) in Subjects With Dementia With Lewy Bodies: The HEADWAY-DLB Study". clinicaltrials.gov. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  14. ↑ "Study Evaluating Intepirdine (RVT-101) on Gait and Balance in Subjects With Dementia". clinicaltrials.gov. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  15. ↑ "Study Evaluating Nelotanserin for Treatment of Visual Hallucinations in Subjects With Lewy Body Dementia - No Study Results Posted - ClinicalTrials.gov". www.clinicaltrials.gov. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
  16. ↑ Al-Shamma, Hussien A.; Anderson, Christen; Chuang, Emil; Luthringer, Remy; Grottick, Andrew J.; Hauser, Erin; Morgan, Michael; Shanahan, William; Teegarden, Bradley R. (2010-01-01). "Nelotanserin, a novel selective human 5-hydroxytryptamine2A inverse agonist for the treatment of insomnia". The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 332 (1): 281–290. doi:10.1124/jpet.109.160994. ISSN 1521-0103. PMID 19841476.
  17. ↑ "Avoxant Pipeline".

Further reading

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