BioVie and Hurdle have been working together to understand the effectiveness of BioVie’s innovative drug candidate bezisterim on improving Alzheimer’s disease by leveraging novel epigenetic biomarkers.

BioVie recently presented compelling data of their phase 3 clinical trial at the 12th Annual Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s Drug Development Summit, showcasing the potential of bezisterim. This promising treatment appears to reduce inflammation and restore homeostasis, crucial for combating Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related conditions.

Some key insights include:

• Epigenetic Clock Analysis: Conducted by Hurdle.bio, the analysis shows biological age deceleration in bezisterim-treated patients across multiple epigenetic clocks. This includes InflammAge, a novel epigenetic biomarker for chronic inflammation developed by Hurdle. Patients treated with bezisterim, showed on average an InflammAge value of 4.77 years less than placebo.
• DNA Methylation Modulation: Bezisterim potentially modulates DNA methylation, targeting genes linked to dementia, metabolism, and inflammation, suggesting potential therapeutic benefits.
• Clinical Correlations: Improvements in DNA methylation levels for specific genes were strongly correlated with better clinical outcomes in bezisterim-treated patients.

Cuong Do, President and CEO of BioVie, emphasised the groundbreaking nature of bezisterim in potentially altering the course of age-related diseases by modulating DNA methylation. “ […] Bezisterim is believed to be the first drug candidate that has shown in clinical trials the ability to modulate the level of DNA methylation, and do so in a manner that’s correlated with disease. But we are only at the beginnings of exploring the full potential of this unique molecule and how it can help modulate the progression of age-related diseases.”

Chris Reading, PhD, Senior VP of BioVie, Alzheimer’s Disease Program. “Working with Hurdle’s biomarker discovery pipelines has helped us to unravel the impact of bezisterim on biological age. This highlights the value of DNA methylation as a potential surrogate endpoint, which could lead to the development of the first epigenetic companion diagnostic.”

Daniel E. Martin-Herranz, PhD, Chief Science Officer of Hurdle. “Dementia and Alzheimer’s are incredibly complex diseases that require early detection and patient stratification ahead of treatment. By leveraging the latest biomarkers technologies and AI, we have the opportunity to maximise the success of novel therapeutics in clinical trials and unlock precision medicine.”

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to explore this exciting therapeutic avenue! 🧬✨

🔗 Read the full press release here.