News
The Discovery and Characterization of [18F]MK‐8553, a Novel PET Tracer for Imaging O‐GlcNAcase (OGA)
[18F]MK-8553 is a high affinity, selective OGA inhibitor with properties suitable for imaging OGA and determining central enzyme occupancy in both preclinical and clinical studies. Currently [18F]MK‐8553 is being utilized in humans as a PET [...]
Reducing GBA2 Activity Ameliorates Neuropathology in Niemann-Pick Type C Mice
The enzyme glucocerebrosidase (GBA) hydrolyses glucosylceramide (GlcCer) in lysosomes. Markedly reduced GBA activity is associated with severe manifestations of Gaucher disease including neurological involvement. Mutations in the GBA gene have recently also been identified as [...]
Alectos Therapeutics Announces FDA Orphan Drug Designation for MK-8719: An Investigational Small-molecule OGA Inhibitor for Treatment of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy
Advances Novel Tau-directed Strategy for Treating Neurodegenerative Disease Phase 1 Clinical Trial Completed Vancouver, British Columbia (April 20, 2016) – Alectos Therapeutics Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted [...]
Preclinical Data Disclosed for Tau PET Tracer MK-6240: A Potential Clinical Biomarker for OGA Inhibitor MK-8719
Apr 18, 2016 – Alectos Therapeutics partner Merck, known as MSD outside the U.S. and Canada, today disclosed preclinical data for potential clinical biomarker [18F]-MK-6240, a highly selective and specific tau PET tracer useful as an [...]