Anavex Life Sciences Corp., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel drug candidates to treat Alzheimer's disease, other diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) and various types of cancer, has unveiled promising preclinical data for ANAVEX 3-71 (formerly AF710B) in a presentation at the 2014 Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC).

Presented by Dr. Abraham Fisher, a member of the Anavex Scientific Advisory Board and one of the study authors, the data shows ANAVEX 3-71 to be disease modifying and highly effective in very small doses at countering the effects of major Alzheimer's hallmarks in a transgenic mouse model 3xTg-AD. Those hallmarks include cognitive deficits, amyloid and tau pathologies, as well as neuroinflammation and mitochondrial dysfunctions. Reducing these major hallmarks has the potential to slow, stop or reverse Alzheimer's disease.

ANAVEX 3-71 indicates extensive therapeutic advantages in Alzheimer's and other protein-aggregation-related diseases given its ability to enhance neuroprotection and cognition via sigma-1 receptor activation and M1 muscarinic allosteric modulation.

"A future therapy should target all the disease hallmarks, regardless of the etiology of Alzheimer's disease," said Abraham Fisher, PhD. "In this regard, ANAVEX 3-71 exhibits a comprehensive therapeutic profile through a synchronized sigma-1 receptor activation and M1 muscarinic modulation."

"With ANAVEX 3-71, we have another promising small molecule candidate for Alzheimer's and neurodegenerative diseases in our pipeline with a very robust preclinical validation," said Christopher U. Missling, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Anavex. "We look forward to advancing ANAVEX 3-71 further into the clinic after the required GLP manufacturing and toxicology studies."

The data was presented by Dr. Abraham Fisher at AAIC on July 13, 2014 in the Non-amyloid Based Therapies main session in a lecture entitled, "M1 Muscarinic Agonists and a Multipotent Activator of Sigma1/M1 Muscarinic Receptors: Future Therapeutics of Alzheimer's Disease."