Accessibility Statement Skip Navigation
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • +44 (0)20 7454 5110
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
Return to PR Newswire homepage
  • News
  • Products
  • Contact
When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type.

Searching for your content...

No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.
  • News in Focus
      • Browse News Releases

      • All Public Company News
      • All Multimedia News
      • View All News Releases

      • Regulatory News

      • D/A/CH Regulatory News
      • UK Regulatory News
      • View All Regulatory News

  • Business & Money
      • Auto & Transportation

      • Aerospace & Defense
      • Air Freight
      • Airlines & Aviation
      • Automotive
      • Maritime & Shipbuilding
      • Railroads & Intermodal Transportation
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Transportation, Trucking & Railroad
      • Travel
      • Trucking & Road Transportation
      • View All Auto & Transportation

      • Business Technology

      • Blockchain
      • Broadcast Tech
      • Computer & Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Components
      • Electronic Design Automation
      • Financial Technology
      • High Tech Security
      • Internet Technology
      • Nanotechnology
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Semiconductors
      • View All Business Technology

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film & Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Financial Services & Investing

      • Accounting News & Issues
      • Acquisitions, Mergers & Takeovers
      • Banking & Financial Services
      • Bankruptcy
      • Bond & Stock Ratings
      • Conference Call Announcements
      • Contracts
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Dividends
      • Earnings
      • Earnings Forecasts & Projections
      • Financing Agreements
      • Insurance
      • Investments Opinions
      • Joint Ventures
      • Mutual Funds
      • Private Placement
      • Real Estate
      • Restructuring & Recapitalisation
      • Sales Reports
      • Shareholder Activism
      • Shareholder Meetings
      • Stock Offering
      • Stock Split
      • Venture Capital
      • View All Financial Services & Investing

      • General Business

      • Awards
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Corporate Expansion
      • Earnings
      • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
      • Human Resource & Workforce Management
      • Licensing
      • New Products & Services
      • Obituaries
      • Outsourcing Businesses
      • Overseas Real Estate (non-US)
      • Personnel Announcements
      • Real Estate Transactions
      • Residential Real Estate
      • Small Business Services
      • Socially Responsible Investing
      • Surveys, Polls & Research
      • Trade Show News
      • View All General Business

  • Science & Tech
      • Consumer Technology

      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing/Internet of Things
      • Computer Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Consumer Electronics
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Gaming
      • Financial Technology
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Multimedia & Internet
      • Peripherals
      • Social Media
      • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math)
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Consumer Technology

      • Energy & Natural Resources

      • Alternative Energies
      • Chemical
      • Electrical Utilities
      • Gas
      • General Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Oil & Energy
      • Oil & Gas Discoveries
      • Utilities
      • Water Utilities
      • View All Energy & Natural Resources

      • Environ­ment

      • Conservation & Recycling
      • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Policy
      • Environmental Products & Services
      • Green Technology
      • Natural Disasters
      • View All Environ­ment

      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Aerospace & Defence
      • Agriculture
      • Chemical
      • Construction & Building
      • General Manufacturing
      • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Air-Conditioning)
      • Machinery
      • Machine Tools, Metalworking & Metallurgy
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Paper, Forest Products & Containers
      • Precious Metals
      • Textiles
      • Tobacco
      • View All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Telecomm­unications

      • Carriers & Services
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Telecommunications Equipment
      • Telecommunications Industry
      • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Telecomm­unications

  • Lifestyle & Health
      • Consumer Products & Retail

      • Animals & Pets
      • Beers, Wines & Spirits
      • Beverages
      • Bridal Services
      • Cannabis
      • Cosmetics & Personal Care
      • Fashion
      • Food & Beverages
      • Furniture & Furnishings
      • Home Improvement
      • Household, Consumer & Cosmetics
      • Household Products
      • Jewellery
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Office Products
      • Organic Food
      • Product Recalls
      • Restaurants
      • Retail
      • Supermarkets
      • Toys
      • View All Consumer Products & Retail

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film & Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Health

      • Biometrics
      • Biotechnology
      • Clinical Trials & Medical Discoveries
      • Dentistry
      • FDA Approval
      • Fitness/Wellness
      • Health Care & Hospitals
      • Health Insurance
      • Infection Control
      • International Medical Approval
      • Medical Equipment
      • Medical Pharmaceuticals
      • Mental Health
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Supplementary Medicine
      • View All Health

      • Sports

      • General Sports
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Sporting Events
      • Sports Equipment & Accessories
      • View All Sports

      • Travel

      • Amusement Parks & Tourist Attractions
      • Gambling & Casinos
      • Hotels & Resorts
      • Leisure & Tourism
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Passenger Aviation
      • Travel Industry
      • View All Travel

  • Policy & Public Interest
      • Policy & Public Interest

      • Animal Welfare
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Economic News, Trends & Analysis
      • Education
      • Environmental
      • European Government
      • Labour & Union
      • Natural Disasters
      • Not For Profit
      • Public Safety
      • View All Policy & Public Interest

  • People & Culture
      • People & Culture

      • Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American
      • African American
      • Asian American
      • Children
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • Hispanic
      • Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual
      • Men's Interest
      • People with Disabilities
      • Religion
      • Senior Citizens
      • Veterans
      • Women
      • View All People & Culture

  • Overview
  • Distribution
  • Paid Placement
  • Multimedia
  • Disclosure Services
  • SocialBoost
  • Rooms
    • MediaRoom
    • ESG Rooms
  • AI Tools
  • General Enquiries
  • Media Enquiries
  • Partnerships
  • Hamburger menu
  • Cision PR Newswire UK provides press release distribution, targeting, monitoring, and marketing services
  • Send a Release
    • Phone

    • +44 (0)20 7454 5110 from 8 AM - 5:30 PM GMT

    • ALL CONTACT INFO
    • Contact Us

      +44 (0)20 7454 5110
      from 8 AM - 5:30 PM GMT

  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • News in Focus
    • Browse News Releases
    • Regulatory News
  • Business & Money
    • Auto & Transportation
    • Business Technology
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Financial Services & Investing
    • General Business
  • Science & Tech
    • Consumer Technology
    • Energy & Natural Resources
    • Environ­ment
    • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
    • Telecomm­unications
  • Lifestyle & Health
    • Consumer Products & Retail
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Health
    • Sports
    • Travel
  • Policy & Public Interest
    • Policy & Public Interest
  • People & Culture
    • People & Culture
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • Overview
  • Distribution
  • Paid Placement
  • Multimedia
  • Disclosure Services
  • Cision Communications Cloud®
  • AI Tools
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • General Enquiries
  • Media Enquiries
  • Partnerships
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists

Vesper Bio announces successful Phase I study for potentially disease-modifying treatment for frontotemporal dementia


News provided by

Vesper Bio

04 Sep, 2024, 07:30 GMT

Share this article

Share toX

Share this article

Share toX

  • VES001 is a first-in-class oral, brain penetrant, small molecule sortilin inhibitor for treatment of FTD(GRN)
  • Data demonstrate excellent safety, tolerability profile, dose-proportionality and target engagement with elevations in progranulin in both plasma and CNS
  • CTA filed for Phase IIa study, first dose targeted for Q4 2024

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Sept. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Vesper Bio ApS ("Vesper" or "the Company"), a clinical stage biotech and world leader in sortilin receptor biology, today announces the successful completion of the Phase I study for its lead candidate, VES001, a potentially disease-modifying treatment for frontotemporal dementia patients with mutations in the progranulin gene (FTD(GRN)).

Frontotemporal dementia is the most common cause of dementia in people under the age of 60. FTD(GRN), which is estimated to account for a quarter of familial FTD cases, is a form of FTD caused by mutations of the progranulin gene (PGRN), a protein responsible for the regulation of cell growth, survival, and repair. Low levels of progranulin are associated with cellular dysfunction, neuroinflammation and neuronal damage across a variety of neurological indications.

VES001 is a first-in-class oral, brain-penetrant, small molecule sortilin inhibitor rationally designed as a potentially disease-modifying treatment for FTD(GRN). Sortilin is a receptor found on the surface of neurons that competes with progranulin receptors for progranulin binding. Progranulin is degraded when binding to sortilin through an internalization process, leading to further reductions in free progranulin and subsequent neuronal damage and cell death. VES001 is designed to cross the blood brain barrier and inhibit this process, binding to the sortilin receptor and stopping progranulin from binding, thereby helping to maintain and normalize progranulin levels. With its unique mode of action and convenient oral daily dosing, VES001 is an ideal, patient-friendly treatment option.

The Phase I study was a two-part trial in 78 healthy volunteers investigating safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic target engagement endpoints across a range of separate dose levels. All endpoints were successfully met, with the top line data from the 7-day multiple ascending dose (MAD) stage re-affirming the findings seen in the single ascending dose (SAD) stage, announced in May 2024.

High levels of safety and tolerability of VES001 were observed across the doses tested, with no serious or treatment-emergent adverse events reported. The data demonstrate that following oral dosing, VES001 exhibits excellent pharmacokinetics and distribution to plasma and the targeted Central Nervous System compartment. Furthermore, VES001 showed strong target engagement evidenced by an increased and accumulating level of progranulin in the volunteers dosed once or twice daily in the MAD stage. Data from this study will be published in due course and when modelled on to the target population, represent a substantial normalization of progranulin concentration after 7 days of dosing.

Vesper Bio has completed a clinical trial application (CTA) seeking to progress VES001 into a Phase IIa proof-of-concept study in a relevant patient population, with dosing expected to start in Q4 2024.

Mads Fuglsang Kjølby, Chief Medical Officer at Vesper Bio, commented: "Vesper Bio is proud of its status as a world leader in sortilin biology. The data generated in our Phase I trial of VES001 demonstrate the potential of sortilin inhibition as a therapeutic approach to the treatment of frontotemporal dementia, and potentially other neurodegenerative diseases."

Paul Little, Chief Executive Officer at Vesper Bio, added: "At Vesper, we are motivated by our patients and their relatives, who inspire our mission to develop innovative therapies that can help fight this awful disease. These promising clinical data coupled with VES001's patient friendly profile bring us one step closer to transforming patient outcomes in frontotemporal dementia."

Notes to Editors

About Vesper Bio

Vesper is a clinical stage biotech and world leader in sortilin receptor biology. Its lead program uses a sortilin inhibitor to rebalance levels of progranulin in patients where the sortilin receptor would otherwise reduce circulating and extracellular progranulin, contributing to disease. Progranulin is a protein that the body uses to regulate cell growth, survival, repair and avoid inflammation. Low progranulin levels are believed to be a factor in cell dysfunction and damage in a range of indications across neurology. By normalizing progranulin levels, Vesper believes its compounds will have a disease modifying effect, protecting and preserving the remaining cells.

Its lead compound, VES001, is a patient friendly, first-in-class, brain penetrant, oral treatment which targets progranulin deficiency, a major underlying cause of fronto-temporal dementia (FTD). As an orally delivered small molecule, VES001 is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and is an ideal dosing method among these patients due to their rapidly declining mental state.

About frontotemporal dementia (FTD)

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), also known as frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), is a group of brain disorders that cause degeneration in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. FTD impacts a person's behavior, judgement, communication and ability to participate in all activities of daily living. It is the most common cause of dementia in people under the age of 60 and is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's Disease. FTD(GRN) is a form of FTD caused by mutations of the progranulin gene (PGRN), resulting in low progranulin levels. FTD(GRN) is thought to account for a quarter of familial FTD cases.

For further information please visit, https://www.vesperbio.com/.

Modal title

Also from this source

Vesper Bio initiates Phase Ib/IIa proof of concept study of VES001 in asymptomatic patients with gene mutations that cause frontotemporal dementia (FTD)

Vesper Bio ApS ('Vesper' or 'the Company'), a clinical stage biotech and world leader in sortilin receptor biology, today announces the initiation of ...

More Releases From This Source

Explore

Health Care & Hospitals

Health Care & Hospitals

Medical Pharmaceuticals

Medical Pharmaceuticals

Biotechnology

Biotechnology

Pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceuticals

News Releases in Similar Topics

Contact PR Newswire

  • +44 (0)20 7454 5110
    from 8 AM - 5:30 PM GMT
  • General Enquiries
  • Media Enquiries
  • Partnerships

Products

  • Content Distribution
  • Multimedia Services
  • Disclosure Services
  • Cision Communications Cloud®

About

  • About PR Newswire
  • About Cision
  • Partnering Opportunities
  • Careers
  • APAC
  • APAC - Simplified Chinese
  • APAC - Traditional Chinese
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • Czech
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Israel
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • Mexico
  • Middle East
  • Middle East - Arabic
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Russia
  • Slovakia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • United States
  • Vietnam

My Services

  • All News Releases
  • Customer Portal
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • Data Privacy

Do not sell or share my personal information:

  • Submit via Privacy@cision.com 
  • Call Privacy toll-free: 877-297-8921

Contact PR Newswire

Products

About

My Services
  • All News Releases
  • Customer Portal
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
+44 (0)20 7454 5110
from 8 AM - 5:30 PM GMT
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Information Security Policy
  • Site Map
  • RSS
  • Cookie Settings
Copyright © 2025 PR Newswire Europe Limited. All Rights Reserved. A Cision company.