Research
Arrowhead reports tau reductions with injectable RNA drug in early study
Arrowhead said its injectable ARO-MAPT drug lowered tau by up to 85% in an early trial, which focused primarily on safety.
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals reported early results for ARO-MAPT, an RNA interference drug given as a subcutaneous injection that targets the gene leading to tau production in the central nervous system. The trial, focused primarily on safety, enrolled about 64 healthy volunteers. At day 105, tau was reduced 40% at 2.1 mg and levels fell by 69% at 6.4 mg. Arrowhead said tau levels in the high-dose arm fell by as much as 85%. Side effects were mild and included injection site reactions, bruising, respiratory infections and headaches.
The early results do not establish whether reducing tau affects Alzheimer’s disease, BioPharma Dive reported, and the company’s trial is continuing. The next part will include healthy volunteers and people with mild Alzheimer’s disease receiving up to five shots. Arrowhead is also planning trials for other conditions linked to tau, including frontotemporal dementia and progressive supranuclear palsy.
