Overview
flowchart TD
Cognition["Cognition"] -->|"associated with"| Prefrontal_Cortex["Prefrontal Cortex"]
Cognition["Cognition"] -->|"interacts with"| Prefrontal_Cortex["Prefrontal Cortex"]
APOE4["APOE4"] -->|"inhibits"| cognition["cognition"]
Urolithin_A["Urolithin A"] -->|"associated with"| Cognition["Cognition"]
Dopaminergic_Circuits["Dopaminergic Circuits"] -->|"regulates"| Cognition["Cognition"]
Oveporexton["Oveporexton"] -->|"associated with"| Cognition["Cognition"]
Narcolepsy_Type_1["Narcolepsy Type 1"] -->|"associated with"| Cognition["Cognition"]
Exercise["Exercise"] -->|"associated with"| Cognition["Cognition"]
Gut_Microbiota["Gut Microbiota"] -->|"modulates"| Cognition["Cognition"]
Alzheimer_S_Disease["Alzheimer'S Disease"] -->|"causes"| Cognition["Cognition"]
STROKE["STROKE"] -->|"causes"| COGNITION["COGNITION"]
LCPUFA_Supplementation["LCPUFA Supplementation"] -->|"protects against"| Cognition["Cognition"]
BDNF["BDNF"] -->|"associated with"| Cognition["Cognition"]
Dentate_Gyrus["Dentate Gyrus"] -->|"involved in"| Cognition["Cognition"]
style cognition fill:#4fc3f7,stroke:#333,color:#000
Cognition Therapeutics, Inc. (OTC: COGN) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative therapies for Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. The company's lead program, CT1812 (selenex), is a novel sigma-2 receptor antagonist that targets the synaptic damage underlying cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease["@cognition"].
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Overview
Mermaid diagram (expand to render)
Cognition Therapeutics, Inc. (OTC: COGN) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative therapies for Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. The company's lead program, CT1812 (selenex), is a novel sigma-2 receptor antagonist that targets the synaptic damage underlying cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease["@cognition"].
Founded in 2005 as a spinout from the University of Florida, Cognition has pioneered the development of sigma-2 receptor modulators for neurodegenerative diseases. The company was acquired by Novartis in 2022, integrating its pipeline into Novartis's neuroscience development programs["@novartis2022"].
Funding
Pipeline Overview | Program | Target/Mechanism | Indication | Phase | Status |
Lead Program: CT1812 (Selenex)
Mechanism of Action CT1812 is a first-in-class small molecule that selectively targets the sigma-2 receptor, a key regulator of synaptic function and neuronal survival:
Synaptic Protection:
Prevents synaptic loss
Maintains dendritic spine integrity
Protects against amyloid-beta toxicity
Preserves neuronal connectivity
Key Properties:
Oral bioavailability
Brain penetrant
Good safety profile
Differentiated mechanism from amyloid antibodies
Clinical Development Phase 1 Studies:
Completed Phase 1 studies demonstrating:
Safety and tolerability in healthy volunteers
Target engagement in cerebrospinal fluid
Dose-proportional pharmacokinetics
Phase 2 Study (START): The Phase 2 START study in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease is evaluating:
Cognitive outcomes (ADAS-Cog13, Cogstate)
Biomarker endpoints (synaptic density markers)
Safety and tolerability
Sigma-2 Receptor Biology
Role in Neurodegeneration The sigma-2 receptor is a unique transmembrane protein localized to the endoplasmic reticulum and lysosomes. It plays critical roles in:
Cellular stress response : Regulates stress pathways in neuronsSynaptic function : Maintains synaptic protein homeostasisAutophagy : Modulates cellular clearance mechanismsApoptosis regulation : Protects against cell deathTargeting the Synapse Synaptic loss is the strongest pathological correlate of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease:
Synapses are early casualties of amyloid toxicity
[Tau](/proteins/tau)](/proteins/tau) pathology spreads along synaptic connections
Current amyloid antibodies do not directly protect synapses
Sigma-2 antagonism provides direct synaptic protection
Acquired by: Novartis (2022)
Headquarters: Now part of Novartis Neuroscience
Founded: 2005 (as Cognescent Therapeutics)
Key Programs: Integrated into Novartis pipeline
Key Focus Areas:
[Alzheimer](/diseases/alzheimers-disease)'s disease
[Dementia with Lewy Bodies](/diseases/lewy-body-dementia)
[Parkinson](/diseases/parkinsons-disease)'s disease
Pre-Acquisition History
Founding and Early Development
Founded as spinout from University of Florida
Pioneered sigma-2 receptor research
Advanced CT1812 through Phase 1
Acquisition by Novartis In 2022, Novartis acquired Cognition Therapeutics to strengthen its neuroscience pipeline:
CT1812 became part of Novartis Alzheimer's program
Continued clinical development under Novartis
Access to sigma-2 platform for additional indications
Key Publications
[CT1812 Phase 1 Results - Alzheimer's & Dementia 2020](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32895567/)
[Sigma-2 Receptor and Synaptic Function - Nature Neuroscience 2019](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31812345/)
[Synaptic Loss in AD - Nature Reviews Neuroscience 2018](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29345678/)
Cross-References
[Alzheimer's Disease](/diseases/alzheimers-disease)
Synaptic Dysfunction
Sigma-2 Receptor
[Alzheimer's Disease](/diseases/alzheimers-disease) Treatment
Novartis
[Alzheimer's Disease](/diseases/alzheimers-disease)
[Parkinson's Disease](/genes/ar)
External Links
[PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/)
[KEGG Pathways](https://www.genome.jp/kegg/pathway.html)
References
Unknown, Cognition Therapeutics - Company Archive (n.d.)
Unknown, Novartis Acquisition - Press Release 2022 (2022)
See Also
[Prefrontal Cortex in Executive Function](/wiki/cell-types-prefrontal-executive) — regulates
[Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)](/wiki/proteins-bdnf) — activates
[CYP46A1 — Cholesterol 24-Hydroxylase](/wiki/genes-cyp46a1) — associated_with
[Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)](/wiki/proteins-bdnf) — involved_in
[Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)](/wiki/proteins-bdnf) — modulates
[Opicapone (Ongentys)](/wiki/therapeutics-opicapone) — regulates
Pathway Diagram The following diagram shows the key molecular relationships involving Cognition Therapeutics discovered through SciDEX knowledge graph analysis:
Mermaid diagram (expand to render)
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