Baton Rouge, LA, March 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Adhera Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCPK: ATRX) ("Adhera" or the "Company"), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jean Buteau, PhD., to the Company’s Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Buteau, a published scientist, and award-winning pioneer in the field of diabetes, will lend his expertise and oversight to help advance Adhera’s pipeline, including MLR-1023, the Company’s Phase 2-ready drug candidate as a novel therapeutic for treating Type 1 diabetes (T1D).
MLR-1023 is a next generation, non-PPAR insulin sensitizer via lyn kinase activation that has demonstrated exceptional clinical safety and tolerability in over 700 patients in Phase 2a and 2b diabetes studies. Dr. Buteau has a deep understanding of the mechanism of action of MLR-1023 through his research proving the potent effect of MLR-1023 to have influence on pancreatic beta cell protection and proliferation in vitro and in mouse models of T1D, which is theorized to potentially translate to delaying or preventing T1D in humans. A new effective, safe treatment would be a major leap forward for a disease affecting approximately 9 million people worldwide,1 including more than 2 million people in North America2,3 that rely upon insulin injections to manage their disease.
Dr. Buteau’s groundbreaking work has earned him numerous accolades and funding awards supporting additional laboratory and clinical research. These include, but are not limited to, grants from the Alberta Diabetes Institute, DRIFCan, Defeating Diabetes, Shastri Indo-Canada Institute, Canada Foundation for Innovation, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and Natural Science and Engineering Research Council.
Interested parties are strongly encouraged to view two short videos from November 2020 and June 2021 highlighting the potential of MLR-1023 and the accomplishments of Dr. Buteau and his lab in the field of diabetes at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=BDaKbJ58E54 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdY0C3F_Ke0
“I feel we are on the edge of a breakthrough that can revolutionize diabetes care and greatly improve the quality of life for millions of T1D patients today and for generations to come,” commented Dr. Buteau. “I am thrilled that Adhera sees the opportunity at hand and to join their Scientific Advisor Board as we move MLR-1023 into Phase 2 clinical trials in a bid to delay the onset of, and hopefully completely cure, Type 1 diabetes.”
“Dr. Buteau is a true luminary in the field of diabetes, and we are honored that he generously agreed to become part of our team,” said Andrew Kucharchuk, Chief Executive Officer at Adhera. “His knowledge and network will prove invaluable in structuring planned clinical trials and prioritizing investment in our strategic agenda to address lucrative areas of unmet medical need.”
About Dr. Jean Buteau
Dr. Buteau is currently Professor, Human Nutrition, Dept. of AFNS, University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, and Associate Professor, Human Nutrition, Dept. of AFNS, University of Alberta. He previously held positions as Assistant Professor, Medicine, Laval University in Quebec, Canada, and Instructor, Dept. of Anatomy and Physiology, Laval University.
He obtained his PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Montreal under the supervision of Marc Prentki. His pioneer work investigated the effects of GLP-1 on pancreatic beta-cell proliferation and survival. Dr. Buteau then completed a postdoc at Columbia University in New York with Domenico Accili, where he studied the role of a novel gene called "Foxo1" in diabetes development. After being recruited as an AP of Medicine at Laval University in 2008, he launched a competitive research program on the molecular regulation of beta-cell mass. In 2012, Dr. Buteau relocated to Edmonton when he was recruited at University of Alberta and the Alberta Diabetes Institute. His current research efforts are dedicated to the development of novel therapies targeting beta-cell regeneration.
Some of Dr. Buteau’s distinctions include: Faculty Award, Teacher of the Year Award, 2018, 2020; Canadian Institutes of Health Research, New Investigator Award, 2013-2018; Diabetes Canada, Young Investigator Award, 2008-2013; Quebec Research Funds, Junior Investigator Award, 2008-2012; Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Post-Doctoral Fellowship, 2004-2006; Diabete Quebec, PhD Scholarship, 2001-2002; and Canadian Institutes of Health Research, PhD Scholarship, 2002-2003.
He sits is a member of the Editorial Board at industry publication “Frontiers in Endocrinology,” and a member of the peer review committees at Canadian Diabetes Association, Salary Awards, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, PhD scholarships, and Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Project committees (DOL, CBB, Cancer).
He holds one provisional patent for CCN3 and uses thereof against metabolic syndrome-associated disorders, and two provisional patents for targeting Lyn kinase to increase or maintain pancreatic beta-cell mass.
Dr. Buteau is an author of 28 published manuscripts and 40+ abstracts at international meetings; has been a guest speaker at dozens of presentations; and has regularly been interviewed as an expert for media communications.
1 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diabetes
2 https://www.diabetes.org/about-us/statistics/about-diabetes
3 https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/diabetes-canada-highlights-chronic-disease-surveillance-system.html
About Adhera Therapeutics
Adhera Therapeutics is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on identifying advanced drug candidates that may qualify for accelerated developmental pathways. The Company has licensed two drug candidates, MLR-1019 and MLR-1023, from the Melior Discovery family of companies. Adhera is developing MLR-1023 (tolimidone) as a new drug for Type I diabetes with a focus on C-peptide positive patients. Adhera also has exclusive rights to develop MLR-1023 for Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) and pulmonary inflammation diseases and conditions. MLR-1023, a lyn kinase activator, has demonstrated exceptional clinical safety and tolerability in over 700 patients in Phase 2a and Phase 2b Type 2 diabetes studies. MLR-1019 (armesocarb) is a new class of drug for Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and is believed by the Company to represents the only drug to address both movement and non-movement symptoms of PD. Armesocarb is the active enantiomer in mesocarb, a drug marketed in Europe for 37 years for various psychiatric and central nervous system indications. In addition to advancing both drug candidates in Phase 2 clinical trials, the Company remains active in exploring other advanced drug development opportunities while maintaining its legacy assets, including CEQ508, an oral delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA) against beta-catenin, to suppress polyps in the precancerous syndrome and orphan indication Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP).
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including the anticipated benefits of the Company’s compounds, the initiation of Phase 2 trials, execution of license agreements, completion of a financing and the amount of proceeds, if any, from the contemplated financing and future collaborative opportunities. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause Adhera Therapeutics' actual results and experiences to differ materially from anticipated results and expectations expressed in these forward looking statements. Adhera Therapeutics has in some cases identified forward-looking statements by using words such as "anticipates," "believes," "hopes," "estimates," "looks," "expects," "plans," "intends," "goal," "potential," "may," "suggest," and similar expressions. Among other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements are Adhera Therapeutics' need for, and the availability of, substantial capital in the future to fund its operations and research and development, the ability to agree upon the terms of the proposed financing with potential investors and existing noteholders and close on it, general risks in obtaining approval to initiate clinical trials, safety or efficacy issues arising during the trials, and the ultimate risks in reaching the commercialization stage. A more complete description of these risk factors is included in Adhera Therapeutics filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Adhera Therapeutics undertakes no obligation to release publicly the results of any revisions to any such forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by applicable law or regulation.
INVESTOR AND MEDIA CONTACT:
Adhera Therapeutics, Inc.
Andrew Kucharchuk
Chief Executive Officer
akucharchuk@adherathera.com
