Prana shares surge on Alzheimer's study results

Prana Biotechnology (ASX:PBT) shares grew 43% after promising data from a preclinical trial of Alzheimer’s candidate PBT2 was published in a scientific journal.

The paper, published in the journal Aging Cell, shows that PBT2 increased markers of neurogenesis and neuron numbers after 12 days of treatment.

“It is very exciting to discover that PBT2 not only helps clear amyloid from the brain, but is promoting the birth of new nerve cells in a part of the brain that is particularly affected by Alzheimer’s disease, the hippocampus,” Prana Chief Scientific Advisor Dr Rudy Tanzi said.

Dr Tanzi is also processor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and vice chair of neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital.

According to the study, PBT2 increased the number of neurons by up to 27% in the hippocampus, and also boosted markers of cell proliferation and of numbers of immature neurons.

The treatment also increased numbers of synapses, glutamate receptor levels and protein phosphotase 2a in the hippocampus.

“PBT2, by addressing metal induced oligomer formation, restoring metal balance in affected brain regions and by promoting new neuronal cell growth, elicits a distinct set of disease modifying effects. Thus, PBT2 may not only ameliorate Alzheimer’s pathology, but perhaps other detrimental aspects of ageing on the brain,” Tanzi said.

Prana Biotechnology (ASX:PBT) shares grew 43.42% to $0.545 after the paper was published yesterday. The price had fallen back 11% to $0.485 as of around 3.30 pm on Friday.