Alpha-GPC and Plasmalogen Nootropics

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Med-Life discoveries (MLD) has developed plasmalogen restoration as a therapy for Alzheimer's disease that is based on a synthetic plasmalogen precursor composed of naturally occurring metabolites. The drug is converted by the body into a variety of plasmalogen lipid species required by neurons. Preclinical evaluation of MLD's plasmalogen restoration therapy is nearly complete, and synthesis is being scaled up to support an FDA IND submission and a Phase I clinical trial. Together with our collaborators, MLD is in the final stages of planning for trials in patients with mild cognitive impairment. Patients treated with plasmalogen precursors are able to release acetyl choline to the synaptic cleft with greater efficiency. Similarly the compound glycerylphosphorylcholine (GPC) is sold as nootropic for treatment of Alzheimer's disease based on its action as a parasympathomimetic precursor of acetylcholine. GPC also acts as a nutraceutical and clinical studies show its effects on cognitive performance in Alzheimer's patients. GPC affects lipid metabolic rates as it is a precursor to phosphatidyl choline. It is low toxicity and it is consumed at high concentrations (300 mg to 1,200 mg daily) in most studies. An ethanol plant like the one in Belle Plaine, Saskatchewan could produce about 1 billion 500 mg doses per year. Individuals are self treating Alzheimer's with GPC and they might consume this compound in conjunction with other clinical treatments such as plasmalogens. It would be valuable to first determine the GPC quality. In the future, once a pure source of GPC is identified an appropriate clinical trial can be devised. Current commercial GPC preparations arise from lipid hydrolysis but GPC from ethanol production is new. Our goal in this proposal is to determine commercial GPC purity and compare it to GPC from ethanol production. We have prepared GPC concentrates in the laboratory and will scale up GPC production from ethanol. In future research we will determine if alpha-GPC is safe to use in conjunction with plasmalogen. NSERC ENGAGE proposal will conclude with the production of ~200 g of GPC at the University of Saskatchewan's Bioprocessing Pilot Plant.