CEO's TEDx Talk on Fasting, Diet for Brain Health Released
A TEDx talk by Cerecin CEO Dr. Charles Stacey titled "The Potential of Fasting and Diet in the Future of Medicine" is now available online. The talk explores the potential of ketones—derived from fasting, ketogenic diets, and pharmaceuticals—to address neurological diseases and improve brain health.
Cerecin's lead drug candidate, tricaprilin, is a specially designed medium-chain triglyceride intended to induce ketosis, providing an alternative energy source for the brain. This approach is currently in a Phase 3 clinical trial for mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease in specific patient populations. The focus on alternative brain fuel is significant as over 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's, a number projected to nearly double by 2050. The disease is characterized by a decline in the brain's ability to use glucose, its primary energy source. Ketones are an alternative fuel that the brain can use, potentially bypassing this metabolic issue. Beyond Alzheimer's, Cerecin is also investigating tricaprilin for migraine prevention. Migraine affects a significant portion of the population, with a one-year prevalence of about 17.2% in women and 6.0% in men in the United States. The underlying theory is that metabolic factors may play a role in migraines, and inducing ketosis could offer a new management approach. The company has also received Orphan Drug Designation for tricaprilin for the treatment of infantile spasms, a rare and severe form of epilepsy occurring in young children. The ketogenic diet has a history of use in treating drug-resistant epilepsy, and this research explores a pharmaceutical method to achieve similar metabolic effects. The brain is a highly energy-demanding organ, consuming about 20% of the body's daily energy. When the body has limited carbohydrates, it naturally produces ketones from fat as an alternative fuel. Research suggests that this metabolic state, known as ketosis, may have neuroprotective benefits. Studies have indicated that a ketogenic diet may improve blood flow to the brain and increase the concentration of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein important for the survival and growth of neurons. This has led to increased interest in how diet and fasting can impact long-term brain health and potentially reduce cognitive decline associated with aging.
