SAN DIEGO—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Mar. 27, 2012—ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: ACAD), a biopharmaceutical company
focused on innovative treatments that address unmet medical needs in
neurological and related central nervous system disorders, today
announced that it has been awarded a new grant from The Michael J. Fox
Foundation (MJFF) for the further development of Nurr1-RXR selective
agonists for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. The grant of $322,000
is a supplemental award to expand on promising initial research
conducted by ACADIA under an earlier grant from MJFF. The initial grant
was made under the Foundation’s Therapeutics Development Initiative
(TDI) aimed at supporting preclinical development of Parkinson’s disease
therapies that have the potential for fundamentally altering disease
course and improving treatment of symptoms above and beyond current
standards of care. The new grant has been awarded to expand upon the
work originally awarded through the TDI program.
“Our Foundation is devoted to finding a disease-modifying treatment to
halt the progression of Parkinson’s, the major unmet need for those
living with the disease today,” said Jamie Eberling, Ph.D., associate
director of research programs at MJFF. “Data from ACADIA’s initial
experiments targeting Nurr1 have been encouraging to this end.”
Parkinson’s disease results from a progressive loss of brain cells that
produce dopaminergic neurons. Scientific evidence suggests that Nurr1, a
nuclear hormone receptor, plays a critical role in the growth,
maintenance and survival of dopaminergic neurons. Scientists at ACADIA
discovered compounds that selectively activate Nurr1-RXR complexes and
promote viability of dopamine-containing neurons. In early research,
these compounds were effective in restoring motor function and neuronal
health in preclinical models of Parkinson’s disease. Future efforts will
focus on further studies of the therapeutic potential and
pharmacokinetics of Nurr1-RXR selective agonists.
“We are excited to expand on the promising research findings in our
Nurr1 program through the support of The Michael J. Fox Foundation,”
said Uli Hacksell, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of ACADIA. “We remain
committed to advancing innovative therapeutic approaches that have the
potential to improve the quality of life of patients suffering from
Parkinson’s disease and related neurological disorders.”
About Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is a chronic and progressive neurological disorder
that is characterized by well-known motor symptoms including tremors,
limb stiffness, slowness of movements, and difficulties with posture and
balance, as well as by non-motor symptoms. Parkinson’s disease is the
second most common neurological disorder and about one million people in
the United States, and from four to six million people worldwide, suffer
from this disease. Parkinson’s disease is more common in people over 60
years of age and its prevalence is expected to increase significantly as
the average age of the population increases.
About ACADIA Pharmaceuticals
ACADIA is a biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative treatments
that address unmet medical needs in neurological and related central
nervous system disorders. ACADIA has four product candidates in clinical
development led by pimavanserin, which is in Phase III development as a
potential first-in-class treatment for Parkinson’s disease psychosis.
ACADIA’s other clinical-stage products include collaborative programs
for chronic pain and glaucoma with Allergan, Inc. and a collaborative
program for schizophrenia with Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd. In addition,
ACADIA has preclinical programs directed at Parkinson’s disease and
other neurological disorders. All of ACADIA’s product candidates are
small molecules that emanate from discoveries made using its proprietary
drug discovery platform. ACADIA maintains a website at www.acadia-pharm.com
to which ACADIA regularly posts copies of its press releases as well as
additional information and through which interested parties can
subscribe to receive e-mail alerts.
About The Michael J. Fox Foundation
The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for
Parkinson’s disease through an aggressively funded research agenda and
to ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with
Parkinson’s today. In addition to funding more than $285 million in
research to date, the Foundation has fundamentally altered the
trajectory of progress toward a cure. For more information, visit www.michaeljfox.org.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical in
nature are forward-looking statements. These statements include but are
not limited to statements related to the development of new Parkinson’s
disease therapies, including Nurr1-RXR agonists and pimavanserin, the
mission of The Michael J. Fox Foundation, ACADIA’s anticipated
preclinical testing of Nurr1-RXR agonists, the anticipated increasing
prevalence of Parkinson’s disease, the progress and timing of ACADIA’s
drug discovery and development programs, either alone or with a partner,
including clinical trials, and the potential of and the benefits to be
derived from ACADIA’s programs, in each case including the Nurr1
program. These statements are only predictions based on current
information and expectations and involve a number of risks and
uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ materially from those
projected in any of such statements due to various factors, including
the risks and uncertainties inherent in drug discovery, development and
commercialization, and collaborations with others, and the fact that
past results, including clinical trials, may not be indicative of future
results, as well as risks relating to our funding requirements. For a
discussion of these and other factors, please refer to ACADIA’s annual
report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 as well as
other subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking
statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. This caution is made
under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements are qualified in
their entirety by this cautionary statement and ACADIA undertakes no
obligation to revise or update this press release to reflect events or
circumstances after the date hereof, except as required by law.
Source: ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc.
ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Uli Hacksell, Ph.D., Chief
Executive Officer
(858) 558-2871