Aptahem and Seattle Children’s Research Institute partner to study experimental sepsis drug
Aptahem AB (publ) announces a partnership with Seattle Children’s Research Institute to explore the mechanisms underlying their new aptamer-based therapeutic for acute and chronic inflammatory conditions including sepsis. Sepsis is a complex and potentially life-threatening condition that occurs when a person’s inflammatory response to infection is dysregulated. There are nearly 2.4 million cases of sepsis per year in the U.S., mostly in children, the elderly, and in individuals who are immunosuppressed, with mortality rates as high as 17 percent.
Dr. Adrian Piliponsky, a scientist in Seattle Children’s Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies, has more than 15 years of experience investigating inflammatory dysfunction associated with sepsis. He will lead this collaborative research project, aimed at providing a better understanding of how Aptahem’s new drug can prevent dysregulation of the immune response to bacterial infection, and thus prevent damage of organs and tissues that can lead to high mortality rates in patients with sepsis.
“Research advances led by Seattle Children’s have identified how certain cells of the immune system shape the body’s response to a bacterial infection, leading to the serious complications that develop as sepsis worsens,” said Piliponsky. “This research lays the groundwork for the collaboration with Aptahem, in which we will have the opportunity to study a new therapeutic approach to preventing this process and stopping sepsis before it ever threatens life.”
Seattle Children’s Research Institute, the research arm of Seattle Children’s Hospital, is one of the top five pediatric research centers in the U.S., with over 300 faculty who study a wide range of pediatric disorders, from basic bench science to clinical trials.
Aptahem, a Swedish-based biotech company, is committed to finding effective therapies that will benefit patients suffering from inflammation, such as those affected by sepsis. Their primary drug candidate, Apta-1, is designed to prevent life-threatening organ and tissue damage in sepsis patients by uniquely targeting abnormal reactions seen in both the coagulation and inflammatory systems in multiple critical conditions.
“We are on our way to redefining the treatment of sepsis with our drug candidate Apta-1, and it is great to have found a research partner in Seattle Children’s that shares our dedication to this. This research collaboration will deepen our knowledge of the Apta-1 mechanism and lead to a better patient understanding, as well as enable us to later access patients, clinical expertise and American key opinion leaders but may also result in other new opportunities,” said Mikael Lindstam, CEO of Aptahem. “We are eager to follow the research at Seattle Children’s, and in parallel, drive our clinical development forward by later this year to prepare an application to start our first clinical trial in humans.”
For further information:
Mikael Lindstam, CEO, Aptahem AB
Tel: + 46 (0)766-33 36 99
E-mail: ml@aptahem.com
Forward-looking statements
This communication contains forward-looking statements, consisting of subjective assumptions and forecasts for future scenarios. Predictions for the future only apply as of the date they are made and are, by their nature, as is research and development work in the biotechnology segment, associated with risk and uncertainty. With this in mind, the actual outcome may deviate significantly from the scenarios as described in this press release.
About Aptahem
Aptahem AB (APTA) is a biotechnology company that develops aptamer-based pharmaceuticals for the treatment of life-threatening conditions in which a combination of coagulation and inflammation are involved. The company’s primary pharmaceutical candidate, Apta-1, is being developed with the aim of preventing the high mortality rate caused by organ and tissue damage in sepsis patients, among others. The company possesses patent protection in strategic target markets and actively seeks business development opportunities with potential collaborators.