Singapore: Bionomics has identified a novel compound with promising properties as a potential new treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Following validation in preclinical models of memory deficit in Alzheimer's disease, Bionomics has formally nominated BNC375 as its drug candidate. BNC375 is currently on a dual track as Bionomics prepares for both clinical trials and strategic partnering.

BNC375 is proprietary to Bionomics and is a positive allosteric modulator of the a7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (a7 nAChR), an important target for the improvement of memory and learning deficits that occur in illnesses like Alzheimer's disease.

Bionomics will commence GMP manufacturing scale-up and formal toxicology studies with the objective of filing an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the US FDA, as it further enhances the licensing package around BNC375.

BNC375 has been found to be effective across a panel of animal models of impaired learning and memory. Until date it has shown no signs of side-effects. Key data summarising the efficacy of several Bionomics' proprietary compounds from this class were exhibited in October at the prestigious Neuroscience 2012 meeting in New Orleans.

In preclinical testing BNC375 outperformed benchmark compounds including Donepezil, a Pfizer product marketed as Aricept with reported $2.5 billion sales in 2011. "The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is a highly promising target for treatment of memory impairment associated with Alzheimer's disease, which contrasts with the historical focus on β-amyloid in the search for new therapies," said Bionomics' CEO Dr Deborah Rathjen.