Stratified medicine company Monument Therapeutics raises additional £0.5 million to take anti-neuroinflammation candidate MT1980 into clinic
Lipid reformulation of anti-inflammatory compound MT1980 for POCD accelerating into clinic in 2022
Manchester, UK, Dec 14, 2021: Monument Therapeutics, a stratified medicine company, today announced it has raised an additional £0.5 million to accelerate the development of its anti- neuroinflammation compound MT1980, for Post-Operative Cognitive Decline (POCD). MT1980, a lipid-based reformulation of an on-market compound has shown excellent pre-clinical results, facilitating additional investment to take MT1980 into clinic earlier than planned. The first human study is now planned for mid-2022 and success of the compound so far is a clear vindication of Monument’s strategy to de-risk development by reformulating drugs with a favourable safety profile and proven mechanism of action.
POCD is a condition arising from any major surgery, where substantial cognitive impairment arises due partly to neuroinflammation triggered by surgery elsewhere in the body. It is common in people over the age of 65 both immediately (50-80% at discharge 1 ) and persistently (10-30% six months post-surgery ,2 ). Almost 250 million major surgical procedures are performed globally every year 3 but there is no dedicated treatment for POCD.
Jenny Barnett, Chief Executive Officer of Monument Therapeutics, said: “The pre-clinical results with MT1980 are highly promising, showing effects not achieved with standard formulations of the drug. Combined with a patient stratification approach using digital biomarkers, we believe MT1980 has the potential to address the major problem of POCD, and target indications driven by neuroinflammation more broadly. With this new funding we will be able to accelerate our development programme and take MT1980 into human trials next year.”
References
1. Rasmussen, L.S. (2006) Postoperative cognitive dysfunction: Incidence and prevention. Best Pract. Res. Clin. Anaesthesiol. 20, 315–330
2. Newman, M.F. et al. (2001) Longitudinal assessment of neurocognitive function after coronary-artery bypass surgery. N. Engl. J. Med. 344, 395–402 18
3. Weiser et al (2008). An estimation of the global volume of surgery: a modelling strategy based on available data Lancet 2008; 372: 139–44
For further information, contact:
Jenny Barnett, CEO
E: jbarnett@monumenttx.com
Media:
Richard Hayhurst/Janet Joy
E: Richard@rhapr.eu or jan@rhapr.eu
Tel: +44 7711 821527
Notes to Editors:
About Monument Therapeutics
Monument Therapeutics is bringing stratified medicine to CNS drug development. The company uses proprietary digital biomarkers to reduce heterogeneity and identify patients with homogenous underlying neurobiology, which are then matched with appropriately targeted compounds. For further information visit www.monumenttx.com
