BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Stealth Peptides, a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing innovative mitochondrial therapies for diseases with significant unmet medical needs, announced today that its lead clinical candidate, Bendavia™, a novel compound that targets the mitochondrion to treat ischemia reperfusion injury, was recognized as one of the “Top 10” cardiovascular and metabolic projects to watch by Windhover Information, a division of Elsevier Business Intelligence. Stealth presented an overview of Bendavia and its potential for treating cardio–renal diseases during Windhover’s recent Therapeutic Area Partnerships Conference in Boston, Massachusetts.
Bendavia was chosen as a Windhover Top 10 project based on established criteria including unmet medical needs, market potential, diversity of indications, strong and innovative science, multiple partnering opportunities, potential for new opportunities and corporate stability. Previously nominated Windhover Top 10 projects included several successfully partnered programs from Portola Pharmaceuticals, Acorda Therapeutics, Isis Pharmaceuticals and Sirtris Pharmaceuticals.
The initial clinical program for Bendavia is the treatment of ischemia reperfusion injury, a common complication of interventional procedures for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Standard animal models for AMI demonstrate Bendavia’s beneficial myocardial effects and confirm the significance of its novel target, the mitochondrion, for ischemia reperfusion injury.
Contrary to prior therapeutic strategies for ischemia reperfusion injury and AMI that focus on uni–targeted pathways, Bendavia and its mitochondrial directed actions address the more complicated, multifactorial nature of diseases. Specifically, Bendavia has been shown to improve electron transport efficiency, maintain mitochondrial respiration and adenosine triphosphate levels and to prevent mitochondrial depolarization. Bendavia also appears to be a strong renal protectant, which may curtail many of the kidney related complications seen with AMI patients.
Stealth’s CEO, Travis Wilson, remarked “Stealth is enthusiastic about Windhover’s recognition of Bendavia as a leading cardiovascular and metabolic clinical candidate. Based on the successful conclusion of our initial Phase I clinical trial and encouraging preclinical data for AMI and beyond, we feel that Bendavia has the potential to be a paradigm shifting therapy for mitochondrial dysfunction, which underlies many common diseases including cardio–renal, neurologic and metabolic disorders.”
Stealth is currently initiating a multinational Phase II clinical study with Bendavia focused on ischemia reperfusion injury for patients experiencing acute ST–segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Stealth’s Phase II clinical trial is termed EMBRACE–STEMI™ for the Evaluation of the Myocardial effects of Bendavia for reducing Reperfusion injury in patients with Acute Coronary Events.
More information regarding Stealth and its development programs for Bendavia is available at www.stealthpeptides.com.
About Acute Myocardial Infarction
Statistics from the American Heart Association (AHA) indicate that more than 600,000 people within the US die from heart disease and AMI each year, which is greater than the combined total from every type of cancer. As background, ischemia is defined as the inadequate supply of oxygen and nutrients to maintain normal cellular aerobic metabolism. It arises primarily from a lack of blood flow to tissue and is seen in a variety of clinical disorders including stroke, AMI, acute and chronic kidney injury and organ transplantation. In tissues with high metabolic activity, such as the brain and heart, adenosine triphosphate stores are depleted within the first few minutes of ischemia. For the heart, standard–of–care reperfusion therapies for AMI include primary percutaneous coronary intervention and thrombolysis. Prompt restoration of blood flow to the ischemic myocardium limits infarct size, which is a major determinant of mortality and morbidity for AMI patients. Paradoxically, the return of blood flow after ischemia can also result in additional cardiac damage and complications. This phenomenon, which is referred to as reperfusion injury, is associated with an array of myocardial, vascular and electrophysiological derangements that can increase infarct size and cause long–term clinical deterioration and complications including heart failure. To date, effective therapies to reduce or prevent reperfusion injury have proven elusive. Bendavia, through its mitochondrial directed actions, appears to be a lead candidate for innovative pharmacologic approaches to reduce ischemia reperfusion injury in patients.
About Stealth Peptides
Stealth Peptides has a rich and promising pipeline of preclinical and clinical compounds from a unique class of short peptides (500–700 Daltons each) that target mitochondria. Published, peer–reviewed data for these compounds suggest significant in vitro and in vivo efficacy for metabolic, ophthalmologic, neurologic and cardio–renal related disorders. The intellectual property portfolio around these compounds is exceptionally robust with compositions, including Bendavia, protectable by patent until at least 2026.
More information regarding Stealth and its pipeline is available at www.stealthpeptides.com.
CONTACT:
Stealth Peptides Inc.
Travis Wilson, CEO, 617-244-2800
[email protected]
KEYWORDS: United States North America Massachusetts
INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Health Biotechnology Cardiology Clinical Trials Pharmaceutical Research Science
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