CTD Holdings Initiates Research Program to Explore Cyclodextrin Therapy for Alzheimer's Disease
ALACHUA, FL -- (Marketwired) -- 01/29/18 -- CTD Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: CTDH), a clinical stage biotechnology company that develops cyclodextrin-based products for the treatment of disease with unmet medical need, announced today that the company has entered into negotiations for a cooperative research agreement with Kerwin Research Center, LLC to explore the use of cyclodextrins in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The principal investigator on the project will be Diana Kerwin, MD, a recognized expert in Alzheimer's disease and memory disorders who was previously part of the Northwestern University, National Institute on Aging-funded, Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center, where she oversaw clinical trials and clinical research.
"We are proud to be the first company to have used a cyclodextrin as an active drug to help patients with disease. Our compassionate program with our proprietary hydroxypropyl beta cyclodextrin, Trappsol® Cyclo™, commenced in 2009 for patients suffering from Niemann-Pick Disease Type C (NPC), and today we support two clinical trials for this same indication (Clinical Trials.gov NCT02939547 and NCT02912793)," said N. Scott Fine, Company Chairman and CEO. "With this research program, we continue to innovate, exploring the use of our cyclodextrin technology platform for treatment of Alzheimer's disease."
"More than 25 million people globally suffer from dementia, most with Alzheimer's disease. With no cure, few treatment options, and the number of elderly people globally expected to reach 1 billion by the year 2030, there is an urgent need for new treatments to combat this devastating disease," said Sharon Hrynkow, PhD, CTD's Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs.
The clinical research program, which will be funded by an independent third party, will explore the use of cyclodextrins, including the proprietary Trappsol® Cyclo™ product currently in clinical trials for the treatment of NPC, in the treatment of Alzheimer's dementia. Intellectual property resulting from the work will be assigned to CTD Holdings, Inc. as part of the terms of the agreement.
"I am excited for the opportunity to work with CTD on this potential new therapeutic approach in Alzheimer's disease. The development of new treatments in Alzheimer's disease is important for the millions of persons affected by this progressive, neurodegenerative disease and to address the current lack of disease-modifying therapies," said Dr. Kerwin.
