Business Wire

NY-APTORUM-GROUP

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

Verimatrix: Signing of an Agreement for the Sale of XTD Assets (Code and Application Protection) to Guardsquare8.12.2025 17:45:00 CET | Press release

Sale of XTD assets (mobile application protection) including a portfolio of patents and a team of experts for an initial offer of $8.5m, the final price will be adjusted at the closing.Verimatrix refocuses on Anti-Piracy (video protection), the group's core business representing approximately 90% of its total revenue Regulatory News: VERIMATRIX (Euronext Paris: VMX, FR0010291245), a leading provider of user security solutions for a safer connected world, announces the signing of an agreement with Belgium-based Guardsquare, the leading provider of mobile application security, for the sale of its Extended Threat Defense (XTD) assets. Guardsquare, the creators of the open-source optimization tool, ProGuard, offers the most complete mobile application security platform on the market spanning automated testing and multi-layered protection, real time threat monitoring, and app attestation. Guardsquare’s 975+ customers are located in more than 95 countries and represent all major industries.

WNBA Champion Sabrina Ionescu Becomes Global Brand Ambassador for Ant International8.12.2025 17:00:00 CET | Press release

Four-time WNBA All-Star Sabrina Ionescu today becomes a new Global Brand Ambassador for Ant International, a leading global provider of digital payments, digitisation, and financial technology. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251208536426/en/ The partnership is built on a shared commitment to creating a more inclusive and sustainable world through empowering underserved communities and youth groups with sports and technology innovation. It marks an important step in Ant International’s journey to foster growth and expand access to financial tools through innovative technology. Ionescu serves as the first Ant International global brand ambassador from North America. “Sabrina embodies the spirit of perseverance and the passion for excellence that is driving young talents and small businesses around the world to uplift their communities,” said Douglas Feagin, President of Ant International. “As a legend in a spor

SABCS 2025: REVEAL GENOMICS Presents Major Advance in Predicting Brain Metastasis in HER2+ Breast Cancer8.12.2025 16:20:00 CET | Press release

The new HER2DX central nervous system (CNS) progression score predicts risk of brain progression in advanced HER2+ breast cancer, addressing a major unmet need in identifying patients at the highest risk of CNS involvement. During SABCS 2025, the company presents a total of 7 studies with 1,300 tumor samples analyzed, covering HER2-positive, ER-negative, and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), representing one of the largest and most comprehensive genomic data contributions to the symposium. New clinical evidence includes superior pCR prediction compared with TILs, demonstration of real-time genomic testing feasibility in an international trial, and validation of RNA-based ERBB2 assessment to accelerate clinical decision-making. REVEAL GENOMICS, S.L., a Barcelona-based biotechnology company focused on advancing precision oncology through biomarker innovation, announced today the presentation of seven studies at the upcoming San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) 2025, held Decem

NetApp Advances EMEA & LATAM Presence with Appointment of Willem Hendrickx as Customer Demand for AI Accelerates8.12.2025 16:15:00 CET | Press release

A leader in driving enterprise transformation, Hendrickx brings nearly three decades of experience, strengthening global partner ecosystems and customer relationships across regions NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP), the intelligent data infrastructure company, today announced the appointment of Willem Hendrickxas Senior Vice President and General Manager, EMEA & LATAM, effective January 5, 2026. Hendrickxwill lead NetApp’s business strategy, go-to-market execution, and partner engagement across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Reporting to NetApp President César Cernuda, Hendrickx brings a deep regional knowledge and track record of building high-performing teams, further enabling the acceleration of NetApp’s international footprint by helping global customers navigate the evolving demands of hybrid cloud and AI-driven data infrastructure. Hendrickx holds a Master’s degree in Applied Economics from KU Leuven and is based in Brussels, Belgium. “Willem joins NetApp at a pivotal t

MediaKind and Harmonic’s Video Business to Combine, Creating a Leading Streaming-Infrastructure Platform8.12.2025 15:37:00 CET | Press release

Combined business will be the #1 independent comprehensive streaming-infrastructure platformBrings together complementary product teams to drive faster advancement across cloud and appliance technologiesFurthers MediaKind’s mission to redefine the future of media and entertainment through advanced video technology MediaKind, a global leader in cloud-based video streaming technology, today announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire the Video Business of Harmonic Inc. (NASDAQ: HLIT) for approximately $145 million. Following a French employee works council consultation process, the parties would immediately execute a purchase agreement, and the transaction would be expected to close in the first half of 2026, subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. The transaction creates a world-class independent SaaS streaming infrastructure provider by combining two established video technology organizations with complementary strengths in SaaS streaming, appliance

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