Dogs Demonstrate Jellyfish Protein as a Potential Therapeutic for Memory Disorders at International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease
Dogs Demonstrate Jellyfish Protein as a Potential Therapeutic for Memory Disorders at International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease
Paris, France -- (July 20, 2011) Quincy Animal Health, a leader in canine cognitive health, is pleased to announce that Quincy Animal Health President Mark Underwood presented data today which demonstrates an apoaequorin-containing chewable supplement is able to significantly improve cognitive function in senior dogs at the annual Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in Paris.
Mr. Underwood presented data from two separate trials showing the effectiveness of apoaequorin to help domains of cognitive function such as attention, learning, and recall in senior dogs. More significantly, the apoaequorin group outperformed selegiline (Anipryl), the only approved medication for the control of clinical signs associated with canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS).
Lead researcher Dr. Bill Milgram, Ph.D. of CanCog Technologies commented, “These results provide evidence that apoaequorin has cognitively beneficial effects by showing improved performance over a control group in an aged canine model of Alzheimer’s disease.”
Key findings presented:
- In an object discrimination test of aged beagles (greater than 9 years old), the apoaequorin dogs showed significantly more accuracy in learning than the control group.
- The apoaequorin beagles outperformed the control beagles in a task measuring attention using a visual search task with added distracters.
- In the second experiment, the aged beagles in the apoaequorin group showed more accurate learning and superior attention than the dogs in the selegiline arm.
In drug development aged canines are often used as an acceptable model of Alzheimer’s disease due to the similar brain pathophysiology as humans.
CDS is a condition much like dementia in humans. Senior canines exhibit memory loss symptoms such as of forgetfulness, confusion, and agitation.
Apoaequorin is a calcium-binding protein derived from a species of jellyfish and has demonstrated neuroprotective properties by buffering excessive levels of intracellular calcium in brain cells.
“This data, combined with our human research showing similar memory benefits creates a very compelling case for the development of apoaequorin as a potential treatment for memory disorders. This is exciting news for the aged population around the world,” said Mark Underwood.
Interested parties in reviewing the research can visit www.quincyanimalhealth.com/research.
About AAIC
The Alzheimer's Association International Conference is the world's premiere forum for reporting and discussion of groundbreaking research and information on the cause, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
About Quincy Animal Health
Quincy Animal Health, LLC markets Neutricks™, a new evidence-based chewable supplement for healthy brain aging in the canine senior wellness market. The product uses technology developed by parent company Quincy Bioscience, a biotechnology company based in Madison, Wisconsin. Quincy Bioscience is focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel compounds to fight the aging process. The company's products focus on restoring calcium balance related to neurodegenerative disorders and other destructive age-related mechanisms. www.quincyanimalhealth.com.
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Media Contact:
Todd Olson
(608) 827-8134
tolson@quincybioscience.com
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