CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cadent Therapeutics, a precision neuroscience company developing novel medicines to restore movement and cognitive function in patients with neurological and psychiatric disease, today announced the initiation of a Phase 1 clinical study for its lead product candidate CAD-1883. The compound is a selective first-in-class positive allosteric modulator of the small conductance calcium-activated potassium (SK) channel.

"This is an important step in the development of meaningful new therapies for people with movement disorders," said Michael Curtis, PhD, President and CEO of Cadent Therapeutics. "We have shown that allosteric modulation of the SK channel restores cadence to neuronal firing and is efficacious in disease models of ataxia and tremor. Our hope is that by precisely tuning dysregulated neuronal firing, we can reduce disability and restore motor function in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia and essential tremor."

Cadent Therapeutics leverages recent advances in scientific understanding, functional biomarker research, patient selection, and innovations in disability measurements to advance breakthrough medicines for neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases. The company is rapidly advancing its pipeline of therapies to treat spinocerebellar ataxia, essential tremor and schizophrenia.

In patients with spinocerebellar ataxia and essential tremor, the firing pattern of neurons in the cerebellum has become dysregulated, resulting in the loss of motor control, impacting mobility and fine motor function. By changing the calcium sensitivity of SK channels, CAD-1883 causes potassium current to flow at lower calcium concentrations, restoring neuronal firing regularity and improving motor function.

About Spinocerebellar Ataxia
Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) is a genetic neurodegenerative condition that affects approximately 150,000 people worldwide. Patients are readily identified through genetic testing and most often carry genetic abnormalities called "poly-Q expansions," similar to those found in patients with Huntington's disease. Symptoms of spinocerebellar ataxia may include abnormal gait, slurred speech, and poor hand-eye coordination. Currently, there are no approved treatments for spinocerebellar ataxia. The disease is progressive and causes damage to the cerebellum, the region of the brain which regulates motor control and balance.

About Essential Tremor
Essential tremor is a neurological disorder characterized by uncontrollable shaking or tremor in different parts of the body, including the head, arms, hands, neck and chin. It is the most common movement disorder affecting 10 million people in the US alone, and there have been limited improvements in standard of care in more than 40 years. Essential tremor is most prevalent in elderly individuals and often interferes with routine daily activities.

About Cadent Therapeutics
Cadent Therapeutics is a precision neuroscience company developing novel medicines that tune and modulate brain rhythms to restore motor and cognitive function in patients with serious neurological disease. The company leverages its unique precision neuroscience approach combining target specificity, patient selection, drug design and optimization, and novel quantitative endpoints to create first-in-class molecules to treat movement and cognitive disorders. Currently in early clinical development, Cadent Therapeutics is rapidly advancing its pipeline of positive allosteric modulators to treat spinocerebellar ataxia, essential tremor and schizophrenia. The Company also has an exclusive license and collaboration agreement with Novartis to develop a negative allosteric modulator, now in Phase 1 clinical studies for the treatment of treatment resistant depression. Investors include Atlas Venture, Clal Biotechnology Industries, Slater Technology Fund and Novartis. For more information, please visit cadenttx.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Lissette Steele
Verge Scientific Communications
202-930-4762
lsteele@vergescientific.com

SOURCE Cadent Therapeutics

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