Denteric awarded $2.5M CUREator+ Dementia and Cognitive Decline funding to support a phase I safety study in early-stage Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients using Denteric’s GPV381 therapy.
GPV381 has been developed to treat inflammatory diseases linked to toxic proteases known as gingipains that are released by the bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis. The oral bacterium infects 1 in 3 adults and is found deep inside the gums of infected subjects, often without them being aware.
The bacteria secrete their gingipains which can travel systemically around the body contributing to inflammation at sites other than the mouth. There is a growing body of evidence demonstrating the link between P. gingivalis and AD, including the presence of bacterial DNA in the brains of 96% of AD patients.
This clinical research now builds upon previous preclinical work, which demonstrated that GPV381 could prevent AD pathologies from developing. The trial will investigate the safety and efficacy of GPV381 in patients with early stage Alzheimer’s disease.
Additionally, the funding will support the development of an exploratory biomarker for testing the presence of the bacterial gingipains in the circulation of these AD patients, together with researchers at the University of Melbourne.
CUREator+ is a partnership between Brandon BioCatalyst, ANDHealth and Dementia Australia. Funded by the Federal Government’s $20 billion Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), this $50 million program aims to support the development of novel approaches, spanning therapeutics, diagnostics, assistive and medical devices and digital health technologies, that will prolong or improve the lives of the estimated 433,300 Australians currently living with Dementia and the 1.7 million caregivers who support them.