# Development of a novel Alzheimer's disease therapeutic targeting tau

> **NIH NIH R44** · AQUINNAH PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. · 2024 · $999,721

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Alzheimer’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by a progressive decline in cognitive function
and a corresponding accumulation of β-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, the two hallmark
pathologies. Drugs currently available to AD patients manage the disease symptoms by improving neuronal
activity, but efficacy diminishes as the disease advances. In tauopathies such as AD, the accumulation of tau
correlates closely with neuronal loss and decline of cognitive function. The novel targeted approach to AD drug
development proposed by Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals stems from discoveries made by Dr. Ben Wolozin (Boston
University and co-founder of Aquinnah) and his laboratory, in which tau pathology (in both AD brain samples and
animal models) was observed in stress granules (SG). Aquinnah is advancing these compelling findings to further
the development of novel molecules that inhibit the formation of tau-SGs as a novel treatment for AD that were
identified characterized in SBIR Phase II. The overall objective of this Phase IIB application is to begin IND-
enabling studies to advance our novel compounds for the treatment of AD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11008522
- **Project number:** 2R44AG060843-04
- **Recipient organization:** AQUINNAH PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Glenn Larsen
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $999,721
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2018-09-15 → 2027-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11008522

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11008522, Development of a novel Alzheimer's disease therapeutic targeting tau (2R44AG060843-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11008522. Licensed CC0.

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