EXCLUSIVE: Pasithea's Multiple Sclerosis Vaccine Candidate Shows Efficacy In Animal Studies, With Potential In Monkeypox

Pasithea Therapeutics Corp KTTA has announced results from a preliminary preclinical proof of concept study of PAS002, its tolerizing vaccine for multiple sclerosis (MS).

PAS002 vaccine construct encodes GlialCAM, a molecule found in the brain's white matter that is attacked in MS. 

GlialCAM shares a component of its protein structure that mimics an identical component of the Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) Nuclear Antigen-1, which plays a critical role in triggering MS. 

What Happened: The data showed that the engineered DNA plasmids provide a high level of efficacy in reducing multiple sclerosis severity and incidence of relapse.

A statistically significant reduction in disease and relapse severity was observed compared to the vehicle.

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Pasithea Expands Its Core Therapeutic Pipeline With This Acquisition.

The treatment with a DNA vaccine prevented disease in approximately 50% of the mice compared to the vehicle.

How Does It Work: In three groups, a proprietary DNA cassette was engineered to encode GlialCAM and injected to block acute disease and its relapse potentially. 

These DNA molecules were designed to protect against paralytic disease by tolerizing the immune system so it would not attack myelin (the insulating layer around the nerves) in the brain and spinal cord. 

What's Next: The company has filed a provisional patent application.

Pasithea plans to present data from this study, including histology data and plasma inflammatory markers, in future major international conferences and submit full data for peer-review publication.

GlialCAM protein is also found in the pox viruses, including monkeypox.  

The company says that the technology may be helpful as a treatment for brain inflammation caused by certain viral infections.

Price Action: KTTA shares closed 0.87% higher at $1.17 on Wednesday.