The term cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) refers to the sum of all pathological processes affecting the small vessels of the brain. Although SVD has been recognized as a leading cause of age-related cognitive decline, its underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Moreover, therapeutic options for SVD patients are still limited, primarily because relevant disease models that can guide target identification and drug discovery are lacking.

Researchers from West China Hospital of Sichuan University presented data from a study that aimed to investigate the associations between serum cystatin C (CysC) levels and the progression and survival of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is associated with loss of synaptic connectivity at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) and loss of motor neurons.

Vanqua Bio Inc. announced that its development candidate VQ-101, a best-in-class brain-penetrant small-molecule allosteric activator of glucocerebrosidase (GCase), will enter clinical development in the first quarter of next year, with an initial indication in Parkinson’s disease.