Hosted by the Tracy Family Stable Isotope Labeling Quantitation (SILQ) Center

Kanta Horie is a translational neuroscientist with expertise in analytical chemistry and mass spectrometry. He obtained his Ph.D. in pharmacy from Kyoto University and specializes in proteomics research. He currently holds a faculty position (Associate Professor) in Department of Neurology at Washington University School of Medicine. Also, he is leading the Discovery Concept Validation Function and Molecular Profiling Department in Eisai as Deputy Head and Executive Director, respectively. He is uniquely positioned to perform the translational biomarker research that bridges the gap between academia and industry.

Dr. Horie is evaluating the hypothesis that Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brain accumulates the micro-tubule binding region of tau (MTBR-tau) and the specific MTBR-tau species can be utilized as biomarker of AD and other tauopathies. In order to test the hypothesis, he developed a sensitive assay to quantify MTBR-tau in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood recently. At Washington University, he demonstrated a regional relationship between amyloid and tau in AD brain and clarified that soluble phosphorylated tau (p-tau) species, especially p-tau181 and p-tau217, were more highly correlated with amyloid plaque than with tau tangle burden [1]. Then, he showed specific MTBR-tau species containing the residue 243 (MTBR-tau243) in the CSF as the unique CSF biomarker to specifically identify tau tangles in AD [2,3]. Recently, he expanded the biomarker findings on CSF MTBR-tau to identify the primary tauopathies such as corticobasal degeneration [4]. Also, he translated the CSF MTBR-tau243 findings to a blood-based biomarker to estimate the brain tau pathology in AD [5]. In Eisai, Dr. Horie is leading the translational research of drug discovery projects including Etalanetug (E2814) which is an anti-MTBR (microtubule binding region) tau antibody being evaluated in a Phase II/III study through the collaboration with the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trial Unit (DIAN-TU) [6].

[1] Horie K, et al. Acta Neuropathol Commun. 2020; 8, 149.
[2] Horie K, et al. Brain 2021; 144, 515–527.
[3] Horie K, et al. Nat Med. 2023; 29, 1954-1963.
[4] Horie K, et al. Nat Med. 2022; 28, 2547–2554.
[5] Horie K, et al. Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease (CTAD). 2023. Manuscript in Review.
[6] Horie K, et al. Ann Neurol. 2023; 93, 1158–1172.

SILQ seminars meet on the 2nd Thursday of each month.

For inquiries contact Tracy Meier or Chihiro Sato.