ADEL announced on the 16th that its antibody therapeutic 'ADEL-Y01', being developed as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease, prevented the progression of tauopathy and increased neuronal survival in both neuronal cell cultures and tau transgenic mouse models through antibody-mediated inhibition and phagocytosis.
ADEL was founded in 2016 by Professor Yoon Seung-yong of the Department of Neuroscience at Seoul Asan Medical Center, Ulsan University College of Medicine. The company name ADEL is a composite of Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Expert (E), and Laboratory (L).
ADEL-Y01 is an antibody therapeutic targeting tau protein, not amyloid beta (Aβ) protein, which has been the main focus in Alzheimer's disease treatment development. Tau protein plays a role in stabilizing cellular functions inside neurons. However, the 'tau tangle' phenomenon, where tau protein becomes thin like threads and entangles, has been observed in Alzheimer's patients and is presumed to be one of the main causes of Alzheimer's disease alongside Aβ. Therefore, this therapeutic concept aims to treat degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy by inhibiting the progression of tau pathology.
Unlike existing global big pharma companies that have developed antibodies targeting the N-terminal tau, ADEL-Y01 targets 'acetylated tau protein at lysine 280 (acetyl tau, tau-acK280)', which plays a key role in the development and spread of tauopathy. Targeting N-terminal tau affects both pathological and normal tau, whereas targeting acetyl tau allows selective targeting of pathological tau only, which is considered an advantage.
This study demonstrated that acetyl tau is important for the amplification of misfolded tau protein in the brain and tested the efficacy of ADEL-Y01 targeting acetyl tau in cell and mouse models. The research team observed that ADEL-Y01 prevented tauopathy progression and increased neuronal survival in both neuronal cell cultures and tau transgenic mice through antibody-mediated inhibition and phagocytosis. It was also confirmed that ADEL-Y01 showed superior tau aggregation inhibition and propagation suppression effects compared to antibodies targeting N-terminal tau.
This research was conducted with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT’s Mid-career Research Program and the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Nonclinical Development Project. It was recently published online in the medical professional journal The Journal of Clinical Investigation (impact factor 19.456).
Co-first authors Dr. Song Ha-rim and Dr. Kim Na-young explained, "Acetyl tau is a type of tau critically involved in the initiation and amplification of tau pathology, and the ADEL-Y01 antibody shows promise as a therapeutic candidate for Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases related to tauopathy." Co-corresponding author Professor Kim Dong-ho of the Department of Neuroscience at Ulsan University College of Medicine stated, “Although further clinical studies are needed, development as a combination therapy with lecanemab, which recently received accelerated approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an Alzheimer's treatment, can also be anticipated.”
ADEL signed a joint development agreement for ADEL-Y01 with Oscotec in 2020. The company plans to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial in the United States within this year. Yoon Seung-yong, CEO of ADEL, said, "Although the recent investment climate in the bio venture industry is very challenging, making clinical trials difficult, we will do our best to bring hope to suffering patients and their families."
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