NEW YORK, March 17, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Anavex Life Sciences Corp. ("Anavex" or the "Company") (OTCQX: AVXL), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing drug candidates to treat Alzheimer's and other central nervous system (CNS) diseases, pain and various types of cancer, today announces that Christopher U. Missling, PhD, president and chief executive officer, will participate in a clinical trials podium discussion titled, "Is there a way to increase the chance of success in Phase 3?" at the 12th International Conference on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases and Related Neurological Disorders (AD/PD 2015). The panel takes place on March 22, 2015 at 13:45 local time in the Apollon room of the Nice Acropolis Convention Center in Nice, France.
As part of the AD/PD 2015 panel, Dr. Missling will provide an overview of both adaptive clinical trial features as well as population pharmacokinetics, such as the company's current Phase 2a trial evaluating ANAVEX 2-73 and ANAVEX PLUS in Alzheimer's patients. Designed to objectively measure all possible effects of ANAVEX 2-73 in patients, the Anavex trial is expected to reduce the risk for a potential future Phase 3 trial.
"We are collecting data from our current Phase 2a trial of ANAVEX 2-73 and ANAVEX PLUS at multiple intervals with the goal to determine the ANAVEX 2-73 dose and schedule that may provide the best therapeutic response with the least toxicity," said Dr. Missling, commenting on the adaptive design of the Company's trial. "Results from modeling of pharmacokinetics, cognitive tests and EGG/ERP can be used to determine the number of patients required for a pivotal trial. We believe that this design approach may help shorten development windows for treatments of diseases that are particularly difficult to treat, such as Alzheimer's, while still ensuring adequate safety data to potentially satisfy regulatory requirements."
About Anavex Life Sciences Corp.
Anavex Life Sciences Corp. (OTCQX: AVXL) is a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of novel drug candidates to treat central nervous system (CNS) diseases, pain and various types of cancer. The Company's lead drug candidates, ANAVEX 2-73 and ANAVEX PLUS, a combination of ANAVEX 2-73 and donepezil (Aricept®), are currently being evaluated in a Phase 2a clinical trial for Alzheimer's disease. ANAVEX 2-73 is an orally available drug candidate that targets sigma-1 and muscarinic receptors and has successfully completed a Phase 1 study with a clean data profile. Preclinical studies have demonstrated its potential to halt and/or reverse the course of Alzheimer's disease. In addition, ANAVEX PLUS produced up to 80 percent greater reversal of memory loss in Alzheimer's disease models compared to when the drugs were used individually. Recent positive preclinical data indicates that ANAVEX 2-73 may also exhibit anticonvulsant, anti-amnesic, neuroprotective and anti-depressant properties, indicating its potential to treat additional CNS disorders, including epilepsy and others. Further information is available at www.anavex.com.
About AD/PD 2015
Attracting international medical and scientific professionals from around the world, AD/PD 2015 is at the forefront of unraveling the mechanisms and improving the treatment of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other related neurodegenerative diseases. In a setting that uniquely combines distinct neurodegenerative diseases and examines their similarities and differences, AD/PD 2015 has a strong focus on mechanisms of disease, prevention and therapy. Additional information about AD/PD 2015 is available from the conference website.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical in nature are forward-looking statements. 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 set forth in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement and Anavex Life Sciences Corp. undertakes no obligation to revise or update this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.