LAS VEGAS, Jan. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zhittya Genesis Medicine, Inc. (a private company) (“Zhittya” or the “Company”), has signed a $151.5 million USD international marketing partnership agreement with Regenerative Medicine of Latin America, Inc. for the exclusive rights to market and sell all biological drugs developed by Zhittya during a 30-year time period. The payments include an initial upfront payment valued at $76.5 million with the additional $75 million to be amortized through future milestone payments.
Zhittya is developing a family of biological drugs to treat diseases which are characterized by diminished blood flow, or perfusion, to specific tissues or organs. The diseases Zhittya’s drugs are intended to treat address a variety of disorders and diseases, including: coronary heart disease, diabetic foot ulcers, stroke recovery, Parkinson’s disease (PD), Alzheimer’s disease, and 14 additional major medical disorders characterized by insufficient blood perfusion.
According to the American Heart Association’s 2019 “Statistics at a Glance,” heart disease is responsible for the death of approximately one out of three U.S. adults. In a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clinical trial, Zhittya’s heart-specific drug treatment demonstrated a successful triggering of new blood vessel growth in a diseased heart. According to a 2017 report by the World Health Organization, there are an estimated 20 million people who suffer from heart disorders in Latin America alone, 80% of which suffer from a particularly notorious form called ‘small vessel disease,’ a disease that only Zhittya’s drug has been able to address; the standard forms of treatment for coronary artery disease, including bypass and stenting procedures, can only be performed on larger arteries.
“Our portfolio of drugs seeks to address diseases which directly cause the suffering and even death of over 50% of all adults,” said Zhittya CEO Daniel C. Montano. “In addition to the territories covered by our existing partnerships in North America, Europe and China, Latin America is particularly impacted by heart disease due to a variety of health and environmental concerns in the region. This agreement with Regenerative Medicine of Latin America is another major step forward to treating heart disease in Latin America and globally. Going forward, we believe we are on the path to a number of other major medical breakthroughs to address even more diseases caused by a lack of blood perfusion.”
Dr. Jack Jacobs, President of Zhittya Genesis Medicine, stated, “Our drug currently being developed to treat Parkinson’s disease has demonstrated encouraging results with impressive outcomes in preclinical models of Parkinson’s disease in rodents and primates. This drug has the potential to be a ‘disease modifying’ agent; in preclinical studies it was shown to reverse the decline and actually stimulate the regeneration of dopamine-producing neurons, the root cause of Parkinson’s disease in patients. According to a recent report from the Cleveland Clinic, the incidence rate of Parkinson’s disease per 100,000 people was highest in Hispanics. We believe our drug can have a tremendous impact in this region in addition to our existing partnerships both domestically and internationally.”
Dr. Jacobs added, “We have filed applications and are advancing through the approval process to initiate Phase I clinical trials in Mexico for Parkinson’s disease. We are also pursuing a second medical indication for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). It is our goal to be in a position to begin dosing patients with Parkinson’s disease and ALS by early 2020, which should enable us to learn if our drug has the same beneficial effects in humans as it demonstrated in animals. These clinical trials that will hopefully begin very soon in Mexico will drive intense attention and interest to Regenerative Medicine of Latin America.”
About Zhittya Genesis Medicine
Zhittya Genesis Medicine, Inc. is advancing a group of drugs which trigger the human body’s natural regeneration process. Our medicine initiates a biological response in the human body referred to as “therapeutic angiogenesis,” which will only occur in diseased tissues that become ischemic due to a lack of blood flow. In those areas with insufficient blood flow, the drug stimulates growth of new blood vessels, providing nourishment and removing metabolic waste products, thereby re-establishing normal cellular functions. Heart disease, stroke, peripheral artery disease (PAD) and diabetic foot ulcers are just some of the disorders the drugs can treat. Currently, over 75 human diseases are known to be caused by lack of blood flow to a tissue or organ. The Company’s management has been working to advance its proprietary medicines for over 21 years and has expended in excess of $140 million USD to date in support of these efforts. To learn more, please visit zhittyaregenerativemedicine.com
About Regenerative Medicine of Latin America
Regenerative Medicine of Latin America, Inc. owns the 30-year exclusive rights to market and sell all drugs developed by Zhittya for the territories of Mexico and all Latin American countries south of Mexico. These areas encompass a population of over 600 million people. In addition to its vast population, Latin America also has some of the world’s highest rates of diabetes, heart disease, strokes and other diseases brought on by vascular dysfunction.
Zhittya Contact:
Daniel C. Montano, CEO
Zhittya Genesis Medicine, Inc.
702-790-9980
dan@zhittyamedicine.com
Investor Relations Contact:
Matt Glover and Tom Colton
Gateway Investor Relations
949-574-3860
zhittya@gatewayir.com