--- title: "Filana leaves Cassava roots behind amid branch into epilepsy" type: "News" locale: "zh-HK" url: "https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/278579055.md" description: "Cassava Sciences has rebranded as Filana Therapeutics, focusing on treating central nervous system disorders like TSC-related epilepsy. The name change follows a troubled past, including a failed Alzheimer’s program and legal issues. Filana will trade under the ticker \"FLNA\" and aims to start a proof-of-concept study for epilepsy, although the FDA has placed the trial on hold pending more data. The company has $106.1 million in cash but expects to end 2025 with $92 million to $96 million, projecting operations to continue into 2027." datetime: "2026-03-10T15:10:24.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/278579055.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/278579055.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/278579055.md) --- > 支持的語言: [简体中文](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/278579055.md) | [English](https://longbridge.com/en/news/278579055.md) # Filana leaves Cassava roots behind amid branch into epilepsy Cassava Sciences has rebranded as Filana Therapeutics, shedding the baggage associated with the old name as the biotech plants itself in a new therapeutic area. As Cassava, the biotech mounted a failed attempt to show that its simufilam could improve outcomes in Alzheimer’s disease. By the time the phase 3 data sank the Alzheimer’s program last spring, Cassava was facing a Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation and class-action litigation tied to alleged scientific misconduct and misleading statements. The company recently reached settlements in the DOJ case and class-action lawsuit. Having cut legal ties to its controversial past, the biotech has now changed its name and branding as it looks toward the future. Starting Wednesday, the company now known as Filana will trade under the revamped stock ticker “FLNA.” Filana CEO Rick Barry said in Tuesday's announcement that the rebrand represents a “new beginning.” He explained that the company is centering its identity on filamin A, a scaffolding protein involved in neuronal development, which “reflects our dedication to rigorous scientific discovery and to bringing new treatment options to patients and their families.” Simufilam binds filamin A. During its Alzheimer’s era, the company hypothesized that simufilam targeted the altered form of filamin A in the brains of patients with the neurodegenerative disease to restore its shape and function. Today, Filana aims to treat central nervous system disorders, such as tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC)-related epilepsy, by modulating the protein. Building on animal tests linking simufilam to reductions in focal-onset seizures, Filana previously planned to start a proof-of-concept study of the small molecule in TSC-related epilepsy in the first half of this year. However, the FDA requested more information on the risks to patients in December and formally put the planned trial on clinical hold later that month. Delayed by the hold, the company has abandoned its target of starting the study before mid-2026. Filana said it needs to provide additional preclinical data and modify the protocol design to get the FDA to lift the hold, which the company plans to do this year. The delay is eating into Filana’s cash runway. Having had $106.1 million as of Sept. 30, Filana estimated it would end 2025 with $92 million to $96 million. The company said in November that it expected its cash to support operations into 2027. ### 相關股票 - [VG Health (VHT.US)](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/quote/VHT.US.md) - [Cassava Sciences (SAVA.US)](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/quote/SAVA.US.md) - [Proshares Ultra Nasdaq Biotech (BIB.US)](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/quote/BIB.US.md) - [ALPS Medical Breakthrough (SBIO.US)](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/quote/SBIO.US.md) - [VanEck Biotech ETF (BBH.US)](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/quote/BBH.US.md) - [iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB.US)](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/quote/IBB.US.md) - [SPDR S&P Biotech (XBI.US)](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/quote/XBI.US.md) - [First Trust NYSE Arca Biotech Index Fd (FBT.US)](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/quote/FBT.US.md) - [Invesco Biotechnology & Genome ETF (PBE.US)](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/quote/PBE.US.md) - [FILANA THERAPEUTICS INC (FLNA.US)](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/quote/FLNA.US.md) ## 相關資訊與研究 - [Rapport To Collaborate With Tenacia For Commercialization Of RAP-219 In Greater China](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/278415131.md) - [bioAffinity Launches Major Lung Cancer Detection Study](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/278565253.md) - [Prelude Therapeutics reports $99.5 mln net loss for 2025](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/278542482.md) - [FDA approves GSK’s Wellcovorin for cerebral folate deficiency](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/278697677.md) - [UCB reports superiority of bimekizumab in psoriatic arthritis study](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/278691960.md)