Expansion of targeting ability of HDTs into renal macrophages enabling targeted treatment of kidney diseases including renal cell carcinoma
REDWOOD CITY, CA – October 22, 2020 – Ashvattha Therapeutics, a biotech company focused on novel hydroxyl dendrimer therapeutics (HDTs) to treat unmet medical needs in oncology, ocular, and inflammatory diseases, today announced results from a preclinical study demonstrating targeting of HDs to renal macrophages after acute ischemia in a diabetic animal model, at the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Kidney Week 2020, held virtually October 19-25, 2020.
Details for the virtual presentation are as follows:
- Presentation Title: Systemic Therapies Targeted to Ischemia in a Model of Diabetic Acute Kidney Injury
- Presentation Date & Time: Thursday, October 22, 2020, 10 am EDT
- Presentation #: PO0940
- Presenters: Jeffrey Cleland, et al.
- Session Category: Diabetic Kidney Disease
In acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD), ischemia in the kidney results in
inflammation and tissue damage. The initial response to injury is the infiltration of reactive macrophages into the kidney with subsequent pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. Upon systemic administration, HDs selectively target reactive macrophages in the ischemic kidney with renal clearance maximizing kidney exposure.
New preclinical data showed that a diabetic model of AKI was successfully established to evaluate targeting of HDs to reactive macrophages. Prolonged ischemia followed by rapid reperfusion increased reactive renal macrophages and subsequent uptake of HDs. Given the high incidence of diabetic nephropathy and a higher risk for AKI in these patients, these results provided a model and treatment strategy to evaluate targeted therapies with HDTs to treat AKI, CKD, and renal cell carcinoma.
“We are excited to present this compelling preclinical data at ASN, which illustrate the selective targeting of our HD technology platform in kidney diseases,” said Jeffrey Cleland, Ph.D., Chairman, CEO & President at Ashvattha Therapeutics. “This data represents further expansion of our HD platform, and we look forward to progressing this preclinical program into the clinic in renal cell carcinoma indications while working with partners to treat acute and chronic kidney disease.”
About Ashvattha Therapeutics
Ashvattha Therapeutics, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, is developing novel therapeutics that target and alter specific cells in areas of diseased tissues. The Company’s targeted platform technology, hydroxyl dendrimers (HD), is exclusively licensed from Johns Hopkins University. HDs chemically conjugated to disease modifying drugs create novel proprietary HD therapeutics (HDTs). Ashvattha has initiated multiple programs with HDTs focused on oncology, age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, hyperinflammation in diseases such as COVID-19 and neuroinflammatory diseases such as ALS and Alzheimer’s disease. For more information, visit: www.ashvatthatherapeutics.com
About Oncology HDTs
HDTs selectively target tumor associated macrophages (TAMs). In pre-clinical models, a single dose of HDTs is selectively taken up by ~60% of the M2 TAMs. M2 TAMs cause suppression of immune response to tumors and facilitate tumor metastases. Ashvattha’s HDTs have the ability to phenotype switch of macrophages from M2 to M1 facilitating phagocytosis of tumor cells, inhibit angiogenesis and metastases, and cause tumor cell death. The ability of HDTs to cross the blood brain barrier in several species including dogs and monkeys indicate the potential for HDTs to treat brain metastases and tumors. Ashvattha is currently synthesizing a library of proprietary HDTs to treat a range of cancers. The library includes novel compounds targeting colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R), tyrosine kinase with immunoglobulin-like and EGF-like domains 2 receptor (Tie2R), and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors in addition to novel HDs with toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists and radiotherapeutics for direct tumor cell killing.