HONOLULU & BERKELEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Plexxikon Inc. today announced promising preclinical data from in vivo Alzheimer’s Disease studies demonstrating a dramatic reduction in activated microglia in the brains of very old (22 months) 3xTG-AD mice, a triple transgenic model for Alzheimer’s Disease. This reduction of activated microglia led to significantly improved learning in the treated group. PLX3397 is an oral, brain-permeable, potent and selective inhibitor of a kinase target associated with Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (CSF-1), a cytokine which is necessary for the activation of microglia and proliferation of macrophages. These cells play key roles in inflammation and cancer. These data were presented yesterday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease in Honolulu, Hawaii. PLX3397 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 clinical trial in cancer patients.
