ANS-858 is a new selective, reversible, orally bioavailable ALDH2 Inhibitor in pre-clinical development to reduce craving.
BEL AIR, Md. and SAN FRANCISCO, May 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Amygdala Neurosciences (a private company) announced today that the Company has closed a new round of equity financing led by ABMRF, the Alcohol Beverage Medicines Research Foundation to fund the Company's IND-stage activities for ANS-858.
ABMRF/The Foundation for Alcohol Research is the largest, independent non-profit foundation in North America devoted solely to funding research on the effects of alcohol on health and behavior (https://www.abmrf.org/). The Foundation was established in 1982 as an independent philanthropic organization dedicated to the development and dissemination of new knowledge about the biological, behavioral and social aspects of alcohol consumption. The Foundation's mission is to 1) achieve a better understanding of the effects of alcohol on the health and behavior of individuals, 2) provide the scientific basis for prevention and treatment of alcohol misuse, 3) fund innovative, high-quality research, 4) support promising new investigators, 5) communicate information with the research community and other interested parties.
Bruce Ambler, Chair Board of Trustees ABMRF said "Amygdala Neurosciences has established itself as a leader in the field of alcohol research. Craving is a key component of the alcohol use disorder adaptation, which consists of craving, loss of control, and adverse consequences. Amygdala Neuroscience's lead clinical candidate, ANS-858, targets the first of these aspects of the misuse of alcohol."
Use of alcohol and alcohol use disorder (AUD) remains high. It is estimated that in 2020 over half of the adult population (54.9% of those 18 years or older) used alcohol resulting in 27.6 million adult Americans (11%) diagnosed with AUD. The US Centers for Disease Control estimated the annual average deaths attributable to excessive alcohol use to be more than 140,000 and the economic cost of AUD to be $249 billion. Current treatments for AUD include a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy, medication, and other counseling. Highlighting the need for more effective and better tolerated treatments, only 362,000 (1.3%) of patients with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) receive treatment with a medication.
"We are delighted to receive this investment from ABMRF in recognition of our innovative approach to the treatment of alcohol and other substance use disorders. This investment, combined with the grant to support the Investigational New Drug (IND)-enabling and early stage development of ANS-858 made from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA, an Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)) under Award Number U43AA030689, further validates our innovative approach and enables the timely development of ANS-858 as an anti-craving therapy for AUD and other harmful cravings." said Brent Blackburn, PhD, Amygdala co-founder and CEO.
About ANS-858
ANS-858, a new chemical entity, works in the brain's 'neural interface between motivation and action' to reduce the dopamine surge responsible for craving. Inhibition of ALDH2 has been shown to reduce craving and drug seeking behavior in preclinical studies against multiple addictive agents and has the potential for use as pharmacotherapy for substance use disorders (SUD), binge-eating, and anxiety associated with these disorders. Preclinical and available clinical data demonstrate the potential of selective, reversible ALDH2 inhibition as a promising target for treatment of AUD. Amygdala Neurosciences is developing ANS-858, a proprietary, potent, selective, and reversible inhibitor of ALDH2, for the safe treatment of AUD.
About ABMRF
ABMRF/The Foundation for Alcohol Research was established in 1982 as an independent philanthropic organization dedicated to the development and dissemination of new knowledge about the biological, behavioral and social aspects of alcohol consumption. Since that time, it has developed into the largest, independent non-profit foundation in North America devoted solely to funding research on the effects of alcohol on health and behavior, and to the prevention of problems related to alcohol abuse.
About Amygdala Neurosciences Inc.
Amygdala Neurosciences is developing ANS-858 to curb craving. Its mission is to treat individuals who experience harmful cravings associated with chemicals of addiction and food. The company was formed based on technology discovered and developed by members of the companies' leadership team while at CV Therapeutics and acquired from Gilead Sciences.
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SOURCE: ABMRF, The Foundation for Alcohol Research, and Amygdala Neurosciences Inc
Related Links https://www.abmrf.org/, http://www.amygns.com
SOURCE Amygdala Neurosciences Inc.
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