- Neurocrine Biosciences (NBIX, Financial) releases significant post-hoc data from the KINECT-HD study.
- INGREZZA® (valbenazine) shows major reductions in both cognitive and motor symptoms in Huntington's disease chorea.
- The study marks the first clinical evidence of cognitive and motor improvements with a VMAT2 inhibitor in this patient population.
Neurocrine Biosciences (NBIX) has unveiled new post-hoc analyses from its KINECT®-HD study, which demonstrate that INGREZZA® (valbenazine) capsules significantly reduce both cognitive and motor-related disease burdens in patients with Huntington's disease chorea. These findings underscore INGREZZA's potential as a groundbreaking treatment option, beyond its primary role in addressing chorea symptoms.
The 12-week Phase 3 trial revealed statistically significant improvements (p<0.05) across various cognitive measures, including memory loss reduction (-0.9 vs -0.2), improved decision-making abilities (-1.0 vs -0.3), and enhanced word-finding skills (-0.9 vs -0.3). On the motor function front, patients reported better mobility (-0.9 vs -0.2), fewer abnormal movements (-1.5 vs -0.8), and improved swallowing (-1.0 vs -0.3) compared to those on a placebo.
KINECT-HD represents the first study to indicate measurable changes in cognitive and motor disease burden through a vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitor in patients with Huntington's disease chorea, thereby potentially expanding the therapeutic landscape for this debilitating condition. The comprehensive data, assessed employing the Huntington's Disease Health Index (HD-HI), will be further presented at the 2025 Advanced Therapeutics in Movement & Related Disorders Congress hosted in Washington, D.C.
