Business Wire

NY-APTORUM-GROUP

9.9.2019 12:36:11 CEST | Business Wire | Press release

Share
Aptorum Group Announces the Development of Microbiome Drug Candidate Targeting Obesity and Repurposed Drug Candidates Targeting Neuroblastoma

Aptorum Group Limited (Nasdaq: APM) (“Aptorum Group”), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapeutics to address global unmet medical needs, announces the development of two preclinical drug candidates which target obesity and neuroblastoma, respectively.

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.

About Aptorum Group Limited

Aptorum Group Limited (Nasdaq: APM) is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to developing and commercializing novel therapeutics to tackle unmet medical needs. Aptorum Group is pursuing therapeutic projects in neurology, infectious diseases, gastroenterology, oncology and other disease areas.

For more information about Aptorum Group, please visit www.aptorumgroup.com .

About Claves Life Sciences Limited

Claves Life Sciences Limited is a wholly-owned therapeutics subsidiary of Aptorum Group Limited. Claves focuses on the clinical development of therapeutic candidates related to the field of gastroenterology. The potential candidates under review and potentially developed focus on the modulation of gut microbiota-derived metabolites, for the prevention or treatment of diseases. Claves is also exploring a gut microbiota modulation platform that can generate novel customized candidates capable of fine-tuning levels of gut metabolites, potentially treating a wide range of medical conditions.

About Smart Pharma Group

Smart Pharma Group includes Smart Pharmaceutical Limited Partnership, SMTPH Limited and its subsidiaries. The Smart Pharma Group is wholly owned by Aptorum Group Limited. Smart Pharma Group focuses on systematically repurposing existing approved drugs for the treatment of a large array of orphan diseases. Smart Pharma Group conducts both computational based screening and preclinical validations in advancing the development of its repurposed candidates.

For more information about Smart Pharma Group, please visit www.smtph.com .

Disclaimer and Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes statements concerning Aptorum Group Limited and its future expectations, plans and prospects that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For this purpose, any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “target,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” or “continue,” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. Aptorum Group has based these forward-looking statements, which include statements regarding projected timelines for application submissions and trials, largely on its current expectations and projections about future events and trends that it believes may affect its business, financial condition and results of operations. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions including, without limitation, risks related to its announced management and organizational changes, the continued service and availability of key personnel, its ability to expand its product assortments by offering additional products for additional consumer segments, development results, the company’s anticipated growth strategies, anticipated trends and challenges in its business, and its expectations regarding, and the stability of, its supply chain, and the risks more fully described in Aptorum Group’s Form 20-F and other filings that Aptorum Group may make with the SEC in the future. As a result, the projections included in such forward-looking statements are subject to change. Aptorum Group assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

1 Protein Cell. May; 9(5): 397–403.

2 Obes Surg. 2012 Jun;22(6):956-66

3 https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms?expand=N

4 See https://www.cancer.org/cancer/neuroblastoma/detection-diagnosis-staging/survival-rates.html .

Link:

ClickThru

About Business Wire

Business Wire
Business Wire
101 California Street, 20th Floor
CA 94111 San Francisco

http://businesswire.com

Subscribe to releases from Business Wire

Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Latest releases from Business Wire

Biocytogen Grants Taisho Pharmaceutical a License to its RenNano® Fully Human Heavy Chain-Only Antibody Discovery Platform30.3.2026 13:00:00 CEST | Press release

Biocytogen Pharmaceuticals (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (Biocytogen, SSE: 688796; HKEX: 02315), a global biotechnology company that drives the research and development of novel antibody-based drugs with innovative technologies, today announced that it has entered into a platform license agreement with Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (“Taisho”), granting Taisho the right to access and use Biocytogen’s proprietary RenNano® fully human heavy chain-only antibody (HCAbs) discovery platform for its internal research and development programs. Under the terms of the agreement, Taisho will leverage RenNano® mice to enable the generation and screening of fully human HCAbs in vivo and to support downstream research associated with antibody discovery. Financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed. “We are very pleased to enter into this collaboration with Taisho,” said Dr. Yuelei Shen, President and CEO of Biocytogen. “RenNano® is a robust and powerful fully human VHH discovery platform that pro

Meiji Seika Pharma Invests in Centivax to Develop Next Generation Universal Vaccine Platform30.3.2026 13:00:00 CEST | Press release

Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo, President and Representative Director: Toshiaki Nagasato) today announced a strategic investment in Centivax, Inc. (Head Office: South San Francisco, CA, USA), a biotechnology company developing next-generation vaccines and therapies for universal protection against highly diverse targets. Centivax’s lead program includes a universal seasonal influenza vaccine (Centi-Flu 01) currently in a Phase 1 clinical study. Unlike conventional seasonal flu vaccines, which must be manufactured annually based on recommended candidate vaccine viruses, Centivax’s platform focuses both antibody and cellular immune responses on conserved regions of the influenza virus that cannot mutate and are shared across strains and distant subtypes. This approach aims to generate broad, consistent, and durable immunity against both seasonal and pandemic influenza. Meiji’s strategic investment aims to accelerate the advancement of Centi-Flu 01 and further a

Samsung Biologics Strike: Labor Union Warns of CDMO Supply Chain Risks Following Overwhelming Vote30.3.2026 11:52:00 CEST | Press release

Union members overwhelmingly approve strike action with 95.52% voting in favor on a 95.38% turnout, clearing the final legal hurdle after mediation ceased.Union emphasizes this is a fight against structural corporate governance issues, citing unresolved allegations concerning unfair labor practices and ESG compliance risks.Management adhered to a group-level wage guideline rather than bargaining on the basis of Samsung Biologics' own performance, exposing a lack of independent bargaining authority. The Samsung Biologics Labor Union (President: Jaesung Park), representing approximately 75% of the company's total employees, announced today that its members have overwhelmingly voted in favor of a strike, with 95.52% voting in favor on a 95.38% turnout during a voting period from March 24 to March 29. Following the Incheon Regional Labor Relations Commission's decision to cease mediation, the union has now secured the legal mandate to strike. The union stressed that this strike is not mere

The Premier Jumping League (PJL) Launches with a Record-Breaking $300 Million Guaranteed Prize Pot, Defining a New Era for Showjumping30.3.2026 11:00:00 CEST | Press release

The PJL empowers riders to compete as full-time professional athletes while working towards a sustainable economic model for the sport. Backed by McCourt Global and shaped by a leadership team with decades of experience in equestrian competition, sport, and entertainment, the PJL sets a new, sustainable, and globally relevant standard for elite jumping. Sixteen teams will compete across fourteen iconic international venues throughout Europe, North America, and the Middle East when the inaugural season opens in March 2027. The Premier Jumping League (PJL) launches with a record-breaking $300 million guaranteed prize pot, defining a new era for showjumping. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260330990938/en/ Photography credits: Daniel Benson for The Premier Jumping League/ Wieden+Kennedy London Backed by McCourt Global and its Executive Chairman, Frank McCourt, the PJL is a groundbreaking global competition that e

Dompé Announces First Patient Enrolled in New Study of Intranasal NGF in Cerebral Palsy30.3.2026 11:00:00 CEST | Press release

Cerebral Palsy (CP) refers to a group of permanent disorders in the development of movement and posture, which causes activity limitations, and is attributed to non-progressive disturbances that occurred in the developing fetal or infant brain.1 Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a naturally-occurring protein that supports damaged nerve cells and improves nervous system signaling, Dompé is investigating whether intranasal NGF has the potential to improve movement and neurodevelopment and address underlying brain damage in people with CP. Dompé’s intranasal NGF platform builds on the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of neurobiologist Professor Rita Levi-Montalcini and biochemist Dr. Stanley Cohen. Dompé, a leading biopharmaceutical company with operations in Italy and in the U.S., announced that the first patient has been enrolled at the Agostino Gemelli IRCCS University Hospital in Rome, Italy, in a Phase 2 investigational study of an intranasal form of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) (Cenegermin-bkb

In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.

Visit our pressroom
World GlobeA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.HiddenA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.Eye