TORONTO, March 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arch Biopartners Inc., (“Arch” or the “Company”) (TSX Venture: ARCH and OTCQB: ACHFF) a clinical stage company developing new drug candidates for treating organ damage caused by inflammation, announced today it has filed a new provisional patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office entitled, “Lung Endothelial Binding Agents And Methods Of Use” to protect new drug candidates that reduce lung inflammation.
This provisional patent application protects compositions and the method of use for novel drug molecules designed to inhibit lung inflammation in the context of bacterial and viral pneumonia. The compositions target distinct pathways independent from Arch Biopartners’ lead drug candidate Metablok (LSALT peptide), providing additional capability to reduce lung inflammation during infections and other lung diseases.
These additional molecules Arch has developed will be longer term drug candidates in the Company’s portfolio of inflammation targeting agents, currently led by Metablok.
Given the urgent world need at present, Arch is rapidly evaluating possibilities to use Metablok in a Phase II trial to target lung inflammation caused by viral pneumonia in COVID-19 infected patients and help reduce related mortality.
In the absence of a vaccine to prevent COVID-19 infection, a treatment to manage the lung inflammation experienced in the most severe cases can reduce the numbers of people admitted to intensive care units and the demand for hospital ventilators.
About Arch Biopartners
Arch Biopartners Inc. is a clinical stage company focused on the development of innovative technologies that have the potential to make a significant medical or commercial impact. Arch is developing a drug library to produce new drug candidates that inhibit inflammation in the lungs, liver and kidneys caused via the dipeptidase-1 (DPEP-1) pathway.
Metablok is a novel peptide drug candidate and the lead DPEP-1 inhibitor in the Arch development pipeline. In August 2019, a scientific team led by Arch scientists Dr. Donna Senger and Dr. Stephen Robbins published a paper in the journal Cell describing a novel mechanism of action for organ inflammation. In the publication, DPEP-1 was identified for the first time as a major neutrophil (white blood cell) adhesion receptor on the lung, liver and kidney endothelium.
A total of 52 healthy, normal volunteers received dosing of Metablok during the Phase I study. In all cases, Metablok was well tolerated during the placebo-controlled trial and no significant drug-related adverse effects were observed.
Continuing under development in the Arch portfolio are: AB569, a potential new treatment for antibiotic resistant bacterial infections in the lung and wounds; and, ‘Borg’ peptide coatings that increase corrosion resistance and decrease bacterial biofilm on various medical grade metals and plastics.
For more information on Arch Biopartners, its technologies and other public documents Arch has filed on SEDAR, please visit www.archbiopartners.com
The Company has 59,882,302 common shares outstanding.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements, other than statements of historical fact, in this news release are forward looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, statements regarding the future plans and objectives of the Company. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions change.
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