May 7, 2020

Impact: Moderate

Cortexyme today announced the publication of research further documenting the ability of the pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis to invade neurons and trigger Alzheimer’s-like neuropathology. This paper was published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s disease. Although P. Gingivalis is best known as a primary driver of chronic periodontal disease, it is also known that it can infiltrate the brain, where it can cause characteristics similar to AD. P. gingivalis breaks down proteins for its primary source of energy by utilizing toxic virulence factor proteases known as gingipains.

More than 90% of post-mortem brains of patients with AD showed a presence of gingipains. Further, in animal models, P. gingivalis results in brain infection and classic AD pathology. In this paper, Cortexyme proofs for the first time that P. gingivalis can indeed invade the human brain and can persist in mature human neurons expressing active gingipains and that these infected neurons show signs of AD-like neuropathology, such as synapse loss. Read more

May 7, 2020

Impact: Moderate

Supernus Pharmaceuticals announced that it will acquire the CNS portfolio of US WorldMeds, including Apokyn, Myobloc, and Xadago, as well as the phase 3 Apomorphine Infusion Pump, which is expected to be filed in 2H 2020. For Supernus, the acquisition aligns with its corporate strategy to diversify its product portfolio into PD and other movements disorders, building on its marketed products in epilepsy and pipeline in psychiatric disease. The acquisition expands Supernus’ commercial platform to include sales and marketing capabilities, which will work toward achieving potential peak sales of $100M-$175M for Apomorphine Infusion Pump.

An upfront cash payment of $300M will be made plus regulatory and commercial milestones up to $230M. The transaction is anticipated to close in 2Q 2020. Read more