Google’s (GOOGL+0.27%) anti-aging company Calico released disappointing trial results of its first ever drug.
Calico’s fosigotifator was tested for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord and leads to paralysis. It was part of the HEALEY ALS Platform Trial, which is testing a series of drugs against the condition.
Calico said on Monday that fosigotifator did not meet its primary or secondary goals after a 24-week trial. The treatment failed to slow disease progression or improve respiratory function and quality of life better than the placebo group. However, an “exploratory” high dose of the drug appeared to preserve muscle strength and respiratory function longer than the placebo.
“Although these results were disappointing, the study has yielded important insights into fosigotifator’s potential bioactivity in people with ALS that supports further investigation,” said Calico head of clinical sciences Bill Cho in a press release. “We remain committed to investigating the potential of fosigotifator as a much needed treatment option for people living with ALS and for other disorders, including vanishing white matter disease and major depressive disorder which each test different scientific hypotheses.”
Fosigotifator targets the integrated stress response (ISR), a cellular mechanism that reduces activity in cells in response to internal or environmental stress.
Last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) selected fosigotifator for its START Pilot Program, aimed at accelerating its development as a treatment for the rare brain condition known as vanishing white matter disease.
Calico was founded in 2013 by Google to help understand and “tackle” aging. It is now a subsidiary of Alphabet and has absorbed at least as $3.5 billion in funding, STAT news reports .
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