PharmAust (ASX:PAA) has announced that it had completed its first cohort of six patients in the Phase 1/2 clinical trial of its lead drug candidate monepantel (MPL) in Motor Neurone Disease/Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (MND/ALS).
The company said it has successfully completed the day 29 dosing of the final patient in the first cohort. The patients were enrolled at two sites - Calvary Health Care Bethlehem in Victoria and the Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research in Sydney.
It said that all six patients in this first cohort have elected to continue on MPL treatment.
The phase 1/2 clinical study is assessing the tolerability, safety, pharmacokinetics and preliminary efficacy of oral MPL in MND sufferers. The trial is open-label and comprises a four-week escalating dose of MPL.
"The MPL tablets have been well tolerated by patients in the first cohort and the Safety Monitoring Committee will review data from each dosage level for safety and pharmacokinetics," said the company
Patient recruitment at the next dosing level of MPL is expected to begin later this month, it said.
The Phase1/2 study is being funded by a commitment of $881,085 from FightMND, the largest independent funder of MND research in Australia.