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July 23, 2021 – SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Cortexyme, Inc. (Nasdaq: CRTX), a company advancing a pivotal trial in Alzheimer’s disease with top-line data expected in the fourth quarter of 2021 and a growing pipeline of therapeutics for degenerative diseases, announced the selection of a lead 3CLpro inhibitor (COR803) for treatment of coronavirus infections, including COVID-19 disease, caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. “There continues to be a large unmet need for coronavirus treatment. The target of COR803 is highly conserved across variants and among coronaviruses in general, therefore it is expected to address both current and future coronavirus strains, including the delta variant of SARS-CoV-2,” said Casey Lynch, Cortexyme’s chief executive officer, co-founder, and chair. “We have selected COR803 based on compelling data to support its development as a potential therapy that could be prescribed at the first sign of infection or after known exposures without requiring patients to be hospitalized, as well as for those in critical care. The novel characteristics of COR803 reflect the breadth and capabilities of our proprietary research and development as Cortexyme continues to apply our innovative science to areas of high clinical need.” COR803 is a novel patent-pending small molecule 3CLpro inhibitor discovered and developed by Cortexyme based on its expertise in cysteine protease inhibition. 3CLpro, or Mpro, is a validated antiviral drug target shown to be essential in viral replication of SARS-CoV-2. COR803 has beneficial properties over other COVID-19 therapeutics and 3CLpro inhibitors in development including:
- Covalent irreversible binding of the viral 3CLpro enzyme;
- High potency: Antiviral EC90 of 30 nM in human lung cell viral replication assays;
- Highly selective for 3CLpro versus other cellular proteases including Cathepsin L; and
- Excellent systemic exposure utilizing intranasal or subcutaneous administration, allowing for clinical use in multiple settings such as outpatient and inpatient.
About Cortexyme
Cortexyme, Inc. (Nasdaq: CRTX) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering upstream therapeutic approaches designed to improve the lives of patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and other degenerative diseases. The company is advancing its disease-modifying pivotal GAIN Trial in mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease with top-line data expected in the fourth quarter of 2021, in addition to growing a proprietary pipeline of first-in-class small molecule therapeutics for Parkinson’s disease, periodontitis, and other diseases with high unmet clinical need. Cortexyme’s lead program targets a specific, infectious pathogen called P. gingivalis found in the brain and other organs and tied to degeneration and inflammation in humans and animal models. The company’s causation evidence for Alzheimer’s disease and the mechanism of its novel therapeutic has been independently replicated and confirmed by multiple laboratories around the world, as well as published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. To learn more about Cortexyme, visit www.cortexyme.com or follow @Cortexyme on Twitter.
