Sage Update, HD Research Webinar, Blood Brain Barrier

Sage Therapeutics announces SURVEYOR update  

Earlier this week, Sage Therapeutics announced the results of the SURVEYOR trial of a drug called dalzanemdor, previously known as SAGE-718, designed to treat cognitive symptoms of brain diseases.  The study met its key goals, confirming the impact of cognitive changes in HD using a test called the HD Cognitive Assessment Battery (HD-CAB). It also showed that a drug aimed at cognitive changes, called dalzanemdor, was safe in people with HD. Sage is performing further analysis to understand the relationship between changes in cognition and function in HD and whether dalzanemdor improves cognition in people with HD, but the results so for support continued development of dalzanemdor to treat HD-related changes in cognition. Read the press release here, or check out the full analysis from HDBuzz here.  

HD Research Webinar TODAY: HDF talks ageing 

Join the Hereditary Disease Foundation today, June 13th, at 12PM ET for a webinar on genes that influence ageing and what they can tell us about neurodegenerative disease. Dr. Juan Botas will share his research on genes that drive the progression of HD and other neurodegenerative diseases, and what they can tell us about how to combat their progression. Register to join here.  

Brain Bouncers: HD Buzz on the Blood-Brain Barrier 

Our brains have a natural defense system to keep unwanted guests from entering—the blood-brain barrier (BBB). These cells that line the blood vessels of the brain are extremely picky about what can enter the brain. This maintains the safety of critical brain tissue but can also make it difficult for medicines to make it into brain tissue. Two different labs have recently published research on the BBB: a group at Cincinatti Children’s Hospital used stem cells to create an artificial model of the BBB, which can help us test how disease will change the BBB or how drugs will interact with it. Another group at MIT and Harvard is developing a virus that can be used to shuttle drugs passed the BBB. While neither of these publications are focused on HD, they are important examples of how research unspecific to HD can benefit the field. Read more on these studies from HD Buzz here.