Hoth Therapeutics announces ‘encouraging’ results from trial of HT-ALZ

Hoth Therapeutics announced encouraging preclinical results for its investigational Alzheimer’s drug, HT-ALZ. In a recent study using Alzheimer’s model mice treated with varying doses of HT-ALZ, significant reductions in astrocyte activity were observed in key areas of the brain, suggesting a potential link between reduced reactive astrocytes, and improved cognitive function. In the study, astrocyte staining was used to evaluate the impact of different doses of aprepitant on the hippocampus and cortex. The data showed a notable decrease in the percentage of area covered by astrocytes in the hippocampus at both 20 mg and 40 mg dose levels, compared to the vehicle- treated group. A similar trend was observed in the cortex. These reductions in reactive astrocytes corresponded with enhanced cognitive performance in the same dose groups, further indicating that aprepitant’s therapeutic benefit may be tied to its impact on astrocytic activity. Reactive astrocytes, which are typically larger than normal astrocytes, play a role in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Hoth Therapeutics is currently conducting a secondary analysis to determine whether the size or total number of astrocytes is changing as a result of treatment. Early observations suggest that the vehicle-treated Alzheimer’s mice exhibit a larger population of reactive astrocytes, while the HT-ALZ treated groups show fewer reactive astrocytes, pointing to a potential breakthrough in the treatment of Alzheimer’s. Hoth Therapeutics plans to continue advancing HT-ALZ through further studies and clinical trials, aiming to provide a novel therapeutic option for patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.