Scientific Support & Research
Advancing the Science of Brain Calcification
Zy Therapeutics is committed to advancing the scientific understanding of brain calcification disorders and the role of bisphosphonate-based calcium chelation in neurological disease. Our work is supported by peer-reviewed research, natural history collaborations, and ongoing clinical and translational studies led by leading academic and foundation partners.
Key Publications on Etidronate and Brain Calcification
Loeb JA et al.
Brain calcifications induce neurological dysfunction that can be reversed by a bone drug. J Neurol Sci. 2006;243:77–81. (Demonstrated that bisphosphonate treatment can reverse neurological deficits caused by intracranial calcification.)
Loeb JA
Functional improvement in a patient with basal ganglia calcification using a bisphosphonate. Movement Disorders. 1998;13:345–349. (First clinical report of neurological improvement following etidronate therapy.)
Oliveira JR, Oliveira MF
Primary brain calcification in patients undergoing treatment with the bisphosphonate alendronate. Sci Rep. 2016;6:22961. (Independent confirmation of calcium-chelating effects in the CNS.)
ASENT 2024 – Abstract & Scientific Poster
Presentation of new data on etidronate-based CNS therapy for brain calcification, shared at the ASENT 2024 Meeting, Bethesda, MD. Includes conference abstract and downloadable scientific poster .
Research on Intracranial Calcification Mechanisms
Pilli VK et al.
Clinical and metabolic correlates of cerebral calcifications in Sturge-Weber syndrome. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2017;59(9):952–958.
Wu J et al.
Cortical calcification in Sturge-Weber Syndrome on MRI-SWI: relation to brain perfusion status and seizure severity. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2011;34(4):791–8.
Nash TE et al.
Calcific neurocysticercosis and epileptogenesis. Neurology. 2004;62:1934–38.
Herrick JA, Bustos JA, Clapham P, Garcia HH, Loeb JA; Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru.
Unique Characteristics of Epilepsy Development in Neurocysticercosis. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2020 Aug;103(2):639-645.
Ongoing and Recent Research
BVMC Project 2 (NIH/NCATS)
Longitudinal Sturge-Weber Syndrome Natural History Study — 160+ patients with imaging, cognitive, and biomarker data.
Sturge-Weber Foundation (SWF)
Natural history, patient-reported outcomes, and preclinical planning for the ZY-001 program.
Dutch CALCIFADE Study (Leiden University)
Ongoing placebo-controlled trial of etidronate in Fahr’s Disease — international validation of the class effect.