Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals Receives $10 Million Investment from Pfizer and AbbVie to Research Breakthrough Approach to Neurodegenerative Disease

Cambridge, MA--April 25, 2017—Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals, a privately held biotechnology company focused on RNA binding proteins for neurodegenerative disease, announced today that two additional pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) and AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV), have invested in Aquinnah’s work to treat ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.  This $10 million adds to an earlier $5 million investment made by Takeda Pharmaceuticals in December 2015.

“We are excited to have the support of three world-class pharmaceutical companies to expand our drug development efforts from ALS into new RNA binding proteins known to modulate Tau, one of the hallmark pathological proteins involved in Alzheimer’s disease.” said Glenn Larsen, Ph.D., Aquinnah’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

While the scientific community has spent years studying neurofibrillary tangles and b-amyloid plaques, Dr. Ben Wolozin, M.D., Ph.D., Aquinnah’s Chief Scientific Officer, believes the newly discovered role for RNA binding proteins in the biology of Tau protein provides an essential, previously undetected key to better understand Alzheimer’s disease. “We discovered that RNA binding proteins play a critical role in brain deterioration, cognitive loss and life expectancy reduction in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease. Targeting these pathways are expected to yield new therapies for the treatment ofAlzheimer’s disease.”

“There continues to be a substantial need to combat neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and ALS,” said Scott Brun, M.D., Head, AbbVie Ventures, AbbVie. “Aquinnah’s research approach, developed by world-class scientific and drug development leaders, could offer valuable advances to treat these debilitating, progressive brain diseases and complements AbbVie’s ongoing neuroscience research efforts.”

“We believe Aquinnah’s novel approach to ALS and Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most promising developments in neurodegenerative disease today. We see the potential for multiple approaches to these diseases based on the company’s work.  Neurodegenerative disease remains one of Pfizer’s top priorities and we are committed to supporting Aquinnah’s research.”  said Morris Birnbaum, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer of Internal Medicine, Pfizer.

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Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals is committed to restoring the health of people with ALS, Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.  The company has developed a revolutionary approach that has the potential to arrest, and possibly reverse these diseases. Aquinnah was chosen as the Most Innovative Neurodegenerative Research Company in 2016 by New Economy Magazine.To learn more, please visit: aquinnahpharmaceuticals.com.

Contact:
Glenn Larsen, President & CEO
Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals
Glarsen@aquinnahpharma.com
617-863-3678

Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals Named Most Innovative Neurodegenerative Research Company 2016

Cambridge, MA--December 1, 2016--The New Economy Magazine, a London-based publication, presented its 2016 International awards to the most innovative companies and individuals in London recently.  In describing the selection process, The New Economy says, “Our analysts look at firms and individuals that pose big questions and answer with big ideas.”

Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals was awarded “Most Innovative Neurodegenerative Research Company 2016.”  Dr. Glenn Larsen and Dr. Ben Wolozin, Co-Founders of Aquinnah, were there to receive the award.

“We are honored to have received this award and to have our work in neurodegenerative disease recognized for its groundbreaking approach.  I am very proud of our team,” said Dr. Larsen, President and CEO of Aquinnah.

Aquinnah’s program targeting the biological pathway linking persistent stress granules, aggregations of protein in the brain, and neurodegenerative disease is one of the most promising developments today and could offer amazing new hope for those suffering from ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease), Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. The promise of a new therapeutic approach is especially significant after years of disappointment in ALS and Alzheimer’s research.

Currently, a diagnosis of ALS or Alzheimer’s disease leaves patients with little hope. There are no approved treatments that provide significant help. Fortunately, Aquinnah has taken a completely new approach that has the potential to arrest, and possibly even reverse, the effects of these conditions.

Both Dr. Larsen and Dr. Wolozin are very optimistic about the future of treatments for neurodegenerative disease and feel we are about to enter a golden age of therapeutic development in neurodegenerative disease.

“Aquinnah is currently the only company doing drug discovery and development on persistent stress granules.  I have great hope that we will be able to develop a drug to alleviate devastating diseases, such as ALS and Alzheimer’s disease”, said Dr. Wolozin, Chief Scientific Officer.

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Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals is committed to restoring the health of people with ALS, Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.  They have developed a revolutionary approach that has the potential to arrest, and possibly even reverse, these diseases.

Read the editorial in the New Economy winter edition on their website: http://www.theneweconomy.com/business/aquinnah-offers-new-hope-for-ageing-brains

Review the awards supplement:

http://www.theneweconomy.com/awards/2016
 

Contact:

Pamela Moffat
pr@aquinnahpharma.com
914-299-4825 

Groundbreaking Team At Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals Adds Two New Members To Help Overcome The Challenge Of ALS And Alzheimer's Disease

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With their award-winning programs targeting the role of persistent stress granules, Aquinnah believes that they are on the cusp of a breakthrough in ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.  Their goal is to arrest and hopefully even reverse these devastating diseases.

To help them achieve this ambitious goal, Aquinnah has added two new members to the team:  Bob Carpenter, a pioneer in the biotechnology and healthcare industries, will join Aquinnah's Board of Directors, and Duane Burnett, an award-winning chemist, who will lead chemistry R&D for Aquinnah's portfolio as Vice President of Medicinal Chemistry.

Bob Carpenter founded a number of successful biotech companies that he took public, including Integrated Genetics and GelTex Pharmaceuticals, both of which were acquired by Genzyme (now Sanofi Genzyme). Mr. Carpenter served on the Board of Genzyme from 1994 to 2011, most recently as Lead Director.  

He also founded Boston Medical Investors in 1994 and currently serves as a Director of Good Start Genetics, Olaris Therapeutics, Immuneering Inc., Hydra Biosciences, and Lysosomal Therapeutics, Inc.  Mr. Carpenter is a graduate of West Point, Stanford Universityand holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. 

"Bob has dedicated his career to creating new drugs for unmet medical needs.  He is someone who understands the complexities of drug discovery and development and he will play an invaluable role in our continued success," said Dr. Glenn Larsen, Co-Founder, President and CEO of Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals.

Dr. Duane Burnett, Ph.D., is a medicinal chemistry leader with nearly 30 years of experience at leading pharmaceutical companies including Schering Plough, Merck and Forum. His impressive list of awards includes: National Inventor of the Year, American Chemical Society Hero of Chemistry Award, Thomas Alva Edison Patent Award, and Prix Galien USA – Best Medical Agent Finalist.

In addition, he has 60 published papers and 108 granted or published patents and applications.  Dr. Burnett is best known as the inventor of the cholesterol absorption inhibitor, ezetimibe, used in two highly successful, multi-billion dollar drugs.

"Duane Burnett brings a great deal a scientific experience and insight to Aquinnah.  We are very happy to have Duane join our team," said Dr. Ben Wolozin, M.D., Ph.D., Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Aquinnah.

Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals is committed to restoring the health of people with ALS, Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.  They have developed a revolutionary approach that has the potential to arrest, and possibly even reverse, these diseases. Aquinnah was chosen as the Most Innovative Neurodegenerative Research Company in 2016 by New Economy Magazine.

To learn more, please visit us at:  aquinnahpharma.com 

Contact:
Glenn Larsen
President and CEO
Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals
Glarsen@aquinnahpharma.com
617-863-3678