- Study results appeared in "Biomaterials Advances", a highly respected peer-reviewed journal, showcasing growing medical recognition of Company's patented RNA delivery platform for extrahepatic targets.
- Company's RNA delivery platform demonstrated effectiveness in mitigating abdominal aortic aneurysm progression and rupture in murine model.
HAMILTON, BERMUDA / ACCESSWIRE / July 12, 2022 / Altamira Therapeutics ("Altamira" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:CYTO), a company dedicated to developing therapeutics that address important unmet medical needs, today announced the publication of a peer-reviewed article in the scientific journal Biomaterials Advances titled, "Peptide-siRNA nanoparticles targeting NF-κB p50 mitigate experimental abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) progression and rupture" that covers a study conducted by a research group at Washington University, St. Louis, MO.
The article, which was co-authored by Altamira's Chief Scientific Officer, Samuel Wickline, MD, reported the study's key findings that the Company's peptide-based OligoPhore™ delivery platform using siRNA is effective in mitigating abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) progression and rupture in a preclinical murine model study. The study was designed, conducted, and analyzed independently of Altamira, and sponsored in part by research grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Veterans Administration. The peptide-based RNA delivery platform was invented at Washington University and licensed to Altamira, which is now under development as OligoPhore for delivery of siRNA and as SemaPhore™ for mRNA.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm is a Severe Condition Lacking Non-Surgical Treatment Options
AAA is a progressive vascular condition that accounts for approximately 15,000 deaths per year in the United States due to rupture. AAA is an inflammatory process with excessive local production of extracellular matrix degrading enzymes, leading to dilatation and rupture of the abdominal aorta. AAA is a complex disease associated with male gender, advanced age, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, and cigarette smoking. Presently, open surgical repair of large AAA is an effective option in preventing death from rupture. Although effective, open surgical repair is recommended only for large aneurysms and can be associated with high post-operative mortality. Given the high mortality rate associated with surgical treatment, and the advanced age of patients with AAA, which may preclude them from undergoing major surgery, medical treatment represents an attractive alternative approach. However, at present there is no medical therapy specific to the fundamental disease process and standard of care is primarily supportive with cholesterol lowering agents and beta blockers.
Study Highlights
The study identified the NF-κB p50 and p65 subunits as key modulators of the inflammatory process contributing to the development of AAA. The knockdown of NF-κB subunits using siRNA delivered by Altamira's peptide-based nanoparticles was shown to mitigate aneurysm progression and rupture in two different experimental models. Since the p50 knockdown was more effective at preventing rupture, the article discussed that p50 represents a preferable target for rational drug design in AAA treatment since it lacks a transactivating domain and its knockdown may carry less risk of adverse effects.
"This study's results reinforce our hypotheses that the NF-κB pathway, with both p50 and p65 subunits contributing, is a primary driver of potentially lethal or severe inflammatory conditions and, accordingly, present high-value targets for our patented peptide-based delivery platform," said Dr. Wickline. "We are strongly encouraged by the findings of this study and see this as an important milestone as we advance our RNA delivery platform technology to suppress the critical molecular drivers of inflammatory vascular diseases.
"Our patented OligoPhore platform for extrahepatic delivery of nucleotide therapeutics offers significant potential for the treatment of AAA and other inflammatory indications that currently lack safe or low-risk efficacious therapeutics," Dr. Wickline added.
About Biomaterial Advances
Biomaterials Advances sits within Elsevier's biomaterials science portfolio alongside Biomaterials, Materials Today Bio and Biomaterials and Biosystems. As part of the broader Materials Today family, Biomaterials Advances offers authors rigorous peer review, rapid decisions, and high visibility.
The journal publishes on topics at the interface of the biomedical sciences and materials engineering.
For more information, visit: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/biomaterials-advances
About OligoPhore
OligoPhore is a versatile platform for safe and effective delivery of oligonucleotides such as siRNA (small interfering ribonucleic acid) into target cells. It is based on a proprietary 21 amino acid peptide that can engage any type of RNA in rapid self-assembly into a polyplex. The polyplex has a size, charge, and other physical features that allow it to escape hepatic clearance and thus to reach other target tissues than the liver. OligoPhore protects the RNA payload from degradation in the circulation and allows for rapid cellular uptake, while enabling pH-dependent nucleotide endosomal escape and cytoplasmic delivery. Effective delivery and positive treatment outcomes have been demonstrated in more than 10 murine models of disease for targets in the NF-κB family, various members of the ETS transcription factor family, and targets in the JNK and TAM pathways.
About Altamira Therapeutics
Altamira Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CYTO) is dedicated to developing therapeutics that address important unmet medical needs. The Company is currently active in three areas: the development of RNA therapeutics for extrahepatic therapeutic targets (OligoPhore™ / SemaPhore™ platforms; preclinical), nasal sprays for protection against airborne viruses and allergens (Bentrio™; commercial) or for the treatment of vertigo (AM-125; Phase 2), and the development of therapeutics for intratympanic treatment of tinnitus or hearing loss (Keyzilen® and Sonsuvi®; Phase 3). Founded in 2003, it is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, with its main operations in Basel, Switzerland. For more information, visit: https://altamiratherapeutics.com/
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SOURCE: Altamira Therapeutics Ltd.