Cognition Therapeutics Doses First Patient in MAGNIFY Study of Oral CT1812 for GA Secondary to Dry AMD

Cognition Therapeutics announced that it has dosed the first participant in the phase 2 MAGNIFY study of CT1812, an experimental therapy being developed for the treatment of geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The MAGNIFY study (COG2201, NCT05893537) is a randomized, placebo-controlled trial that is expected to enroll approximately 246 adults who have been diagnosed with dry AMD with measurable GA. In contrast with many development-stage dry AMD therapies that are administered by intravitreal injection, CT1812 will be given orally, once daily, for 24 months to determine if it can slow disease progression as measured by changes in GA lesion size.

“Until recently there were no FDA-approved medications for our patients with dry AMD. Given the complex nature of dry AMD, even with an approved complement inhibitor, it is likely that a significant proportion of patients may need and benefit from a drug that mitigates the disease progression through a unique mechanism of action," said David R. P. Almeida, MD, a vitreoretinal surgeon and the president, CEO and director of clinical research at Erie Retinal Surgery in Erie, PA, who enrolled the first participant in MAGNIFY. "My colleagues and I are excited to be able to participate in the MAGNIFY study. I am in sincere gratitude to our patients who support our search for novel therapeutics and I’m thankful for the dedication and skill I see working with our Cognition Therapeutics partners to explore the potential of CT1812 in our patients.”

CT1812 is a small-molecule, orally delivered, sigma-2 (σ-2) receptor modulator that has been shown to rescue RPE cells in culture from damaging elements such as pathogenic proteins and oxidative stress, which disrupt the normal functions of RPE cells and eventually result in cell death.

“As Dr. Almeida mentioned, dry AMD is complex with many underlying disease drivers. Our research suggests that a σ-2 modulator, such as CT1812, has the potential to protect RPE cells from several of these key drivers, which may allow patients to retain their visual acuity for longer," said Lisa Ricciardi, president and CEO of Cognition. "We look forward to working with Dr. Almeida and our other investigators to explore this possibility in the MAGNIFY study.”