Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Memory Pharmaceuticqls Continues Gains

Memory Pharma extended it's gains from Monday today on news that it's leading Alzheimer's drug candidate MEM1003. MEMY is trading up in late afternoon action 47 cents a share (thats up almost 20%) at $2.83. Monday MEMY traded up over 44%. The company has fully enrolled it's phase IIa clinical trial for MEM1003 which means a, they found enough people to run the study with mild to moderate disease; b, it tells investors that the company has confidence in the drug and will rather quickly know whether or not there is efficacy.

MEM1003 is a drug that targets L-type calcium channels in patients with Alzheimer's. Ongoing research strongly suggests that aging alters brain Ca2+ regulation, resulting in impaired neuronal function and, eventually, neurodegeneration.

Voltage-dependent Ca2+ currents and potentials are enhanced in neurons of aged experimental animals, and apparently are mediated by an increase in the membrane density of L-type voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channels. In addition, selective L-VSCC antagonists and other Ca2+ blockers can counteract the effects of aging on several aspects of neuronal and/or behavioral function, implying that channel activity may be necessary for the aging changes.
MEM1003 selectively blocks these channels and could help regulate calcium flow.

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