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The shares of Anavex Life Sciences (NASDAQ:AVXL) gained Thursday pre-market after the clinical-stage biotech announced better than expected patient enrollment in its EXCELLENCE Phase 2/3 study for Rett syndrome candidate ANAVEX®2-73 (blarcamesine).
With its enrollment at 92, exceeding the original target, Anavex (AVXL) expects to announce topline results from the EXCELLENCE trial in H2 2023.
The company had designed the multicenter, double-blind study to test the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of daily oral ANAVEX®2-73 or placebo in patients aged ≥ 5 years to 17.
Rett syndrome is a rare and genetically driven neurodevelopmental disorder that almost exclusively affects girls as the condition, with a prevalence rate of about one in 10K – 15K live female births, has no FDA-approved therapies.
“We are excited to complete enrollment in this multicenter study with ANAVEX®2-73 in Rett syndrome and look forward to reporting the results later this year.” Christopher Missling, Chief Executive of Anavex (AVXL), said.
Seeking Alpha contributor The Political Economist thinks that blarcamesine is “more effective, cheaper and safer than Leqembi,” an Alzheimer’s therapy for which developers Biogen (BIIB) and Eisai ((OTCPK:ESALY) (OTCPK:ESALF) won the FDA nod in January.