PNA5 — a new Mas receptor medicine to protect thinking in people at risk for vascular and Alzheimer's-related dementia
PNA5: A Novel Mas Receptor Agonist for Treatment of Cognitive Impairment in Patients at Risk for Vascular Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease Related Dementia: an FDA required Toxicology Study
Seeing whether the anti-inflammatory peptide PNA5 can be safely developed to help people with mild cognitive impairment who are at risk for vascular dementia or Alzheimer's-related dementia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Arizona NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tucson, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11169018 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This program is completing the long-term safety and toxicology tests that the FDA requires before PNA5 can move into later human trials. Researchers will run laboratory and animal studies to check for harmful effects, measure how the peptide reaches the brain, and confirm it reduces brain and blood-vessel inflammation. The goal is to provide the safety data needed to start a Phase 2 clinical trial in people with mild cognitive impairment and vascular risk. If those trials proceed, future work would test whether PNA5 slows cognitive decline.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for future trials would be people with mild cognitive impairment and vascular risk factors or early signs of vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia.
Not a fit: People with advanced dementia, cognitive problems unrelated to vascular or Alzheimer's-related processes, or those seeking immediate treatment are unlikely to benefit from the current toxicology work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable a new anti-inflammatory treatment that may slow or prevent cognitive decline in people at risk for vascular or Alzheimer's-related dementia.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical studies of angiotensin-(1-7)/Mas receptor agonists have shown promise in animals for reducing inflammation and improving blood flow, but human effectiveness remains largely unproven and clinical data are limited.
Where this research is happening
Tucson, United States
- University of Arizona — Tucson, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hay, Meredith — University of Arizona
- Study coordinator: Hay, Meredith
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.