On September 9, 2019 Aptorum Group Limited (Nasdaq: APM) ("Aptorum Group"), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapeutics to address global unmet medical needs, reported the development of two preclinical drug candidates which target obesity and neuroblastoma, respectively (Press release, Aptorum, SEP 9, 2019, View Source [SID1234539378]).
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About CLS-1: Treatment of obesity via modulation of chemical signaling relating to gut microbiota
Under the recently-announced microbiota modulation platform operated by Aptorum Group’s wholly-owned subsidiary Claves Life Sciences Limited, we have commenced the preclinical development of macromolecule candidate CLS-1 targeting the treatment of obesity. CLS-1 is undergoing lead optimization and is expected to progress into the IND enabling stage in 2020.
The prevalence of obesity continues to escalate globally; however, there is no current optimal therapy for this condition1. For the majority of obese patients, conventional medical therapies (i.e., diet, exercise, behavioral counseling) often have a high failure rate for the long term2. We believe current pharmacotherapy has limited efficacy and is associated with substantial safety issues, and this will provide immeasurable market opportunity for CLS-1.
Chemical signaling of gut microbiota is known to be one of the major causes of obesity1. CLS-1 is an orally administered non-absorbable macromolecule that modulates the metabolite excreted by gut microbiota with high affinity and specificity. In this way, we believe the absorption of this particular metabolite, which is linked to obesity, can be inhibited.
Aptorum Group is also pursuing two further indications based on the modulation of microbiota based chemical signaling involving the above large molecule technology, which we believe to be highly scalable and we hope to be making further announcements regarding our efforts in due course.
About SACT-1: Repurposed Drug Candidates for the Treatment of Neuroblastoma
Under the recently announced Smart-ACTTM computational drug discovery platform operated by our wholly-owned subsidiary Smart Pharma Group, Aptorum Group has completed computational screening of approximately 1,615 marketed drugs against 3 therapeutic target proteins to potentially tackle poor prognosis of neuroblastoma, i.e., a rare type of children’s cancer that forms in certain types of nerve tissue and most frequently in the adrenal glands as well as spine, chest, abdomen or neck, especially in children3. For the high-risk group, the 5-year survival rate of this condition is around 40-50% as observed by the American Cancer Society.4 Aptorum Group has identified an array of repurposed candidates and has proceeded to evaluate them in cell-based and animal models in order to validate the candidates’ usage for such new indication and potential efficacies.
Aptorum Group is also pursuing two further indications under the Smart-ACTTM drug discovery platform and hopes to be making further announcements regarding our research in due course.