Cognition Therapeutics Receives $6.6M from NIA to Study Elayta Synaptoprotective Mechanism of Action in Alzheimer's

CP Staff
CP Staff
  • Elayta currently in phase II testing
  • Has been granted fast track status by the FDA
  • Phase I/IIa trials showed Elayta  significantly reduced concentrations of synapse damage proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid


Cognition Therapeutics, Inc., announced on 5/22/18 the receipt of two multi-year grants from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) totaling $6.6 million. These awards will fund two clinical studies of Elayta™ (CT1812), Cognition’s lead candidate for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease, which are primarily designed to probe Elayta’s unique synaptoprotective mechanism of action.

Elayta has been shown in prior clinical studies to reduce the concentrations of synaptic damage proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of individuals with Alzheimer's disease. These results are consistent with a positive effect on synapses, suggesting that Elayta may be able to stop the loss of synapses caused by toxic beta amyloid oligomers (AβOs) and facilitate the regeneration of synapses, thus restoring memory function.

“We are working with three esteemed investigators on these studies: Yvette I. Sheline, M.D. at the University of Pennsylvania for SNAP, and Christopher H. van Dyck, M.D. at the Yale Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit and Richard E. Carson, Ph.D. at the Yale PET Center for SPARC,” stated Cognition Therapeutics co-founder and CSO Susan Catalano, Ph.D., who is principal investigator on both NIA grant awards. “Drs. Sheline, van Dyck and Carson are leaders in their fields and pioneers in neurocognitive disorder research. Their insights into Elayta’s mechanism of action have been invaluable, and we look forward to working with these experts and their colleagues to advance our understanding of Elayta and the underlying mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease.”

Cognition’s lead product candidate, Elayta (CT1812), is a highly brain penetrant small molecule with a unique disease-modifying synaptoprotective mechanism of action. This orally dosed drug candidate protects synapses by selectively displacing toxic AβOs from their synaptic receptors, thus stopping downstream damage. Elayta has been shown in preclinical models of Alzheimer’s disease to restore synapse numbers and improve memory function. Consistent with these findings, Cognition’s Phase 1b/2a clinical trial demonstrated that Elayta significantly reduces concentrations of synapse damage proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid of Alzheimer’s patients. Elayta is currently in Phase 2 clinical testing for mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease and has been granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. FDA.