(RTTNews) - CervoMed Inc. (CRVO), announced that its investigational therapy Neflamapimod has been selected for inclusion in the UK EXPERTS-ALS platform, a clinical trial initiative designed to rapidly evaluate and prioritize potential treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
The UK-based trial will be the first to evaluate Neflamapimod in ALS, with the first person with ALS expected to be dosed by the end of 2026.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells controlling voluntary muscle movement and breathing. With no approved therapies capable of stopping or reversing disease progression, identifying candidates that can meaningfully slow decline remains a critical unmet need.
The EXPERTS-ALS platform, funded by the UK National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and leading motor neuron disease charities, evaluates investigational medicines in a randomized, multicenter, open-label, multi-arm trial.
The platform measures changes in neurofilament light chain (NfL), a blood biomarker significantly elevated in ALS and correlated with disability progression and survival.
Neflamapimod will initially be assessed in approximately 35 participants for 18-24 weeks, with potential expansion to up to 80 patients. Secondary and exploratory endpoints include clinical and survival measures.
Experts involved in the platform highlighted the scientific rationale for Neflamapimod's inclusion, citing its targeted mechanism of action, demonstrated clinical activity in neurodegenerative diseases, and encouraging translational data in ALS-relevant neurotoxicity models. The drug's ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and selectively inhibit p38 MAP kinase- a key driver of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration- further supports its evaluation in ALS.
CervoMed noted that inclusion in the EXPERTS-ALS platform provides an opportunity for rapid assessment of Neflamapimod in ALS while the company continues preparations for its planned Phase 3 trial in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) later this year, subject to available funding.
CRVO has traded between $1.92 and $16.94 over the past year. The stock closed Tuesday's trading at $4.54, down 3.81%. In pre-market trading on Wednesday, CRVO is up over 6% at $4.84.
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