On April 25, 2023 Albatroz Therapeutics, a biotechnology company targeting tissue remodeling to stop cancer growth and treat arthritis, reported that it has secured $3 million USD in funding led by Outram Bio and SEEDS Capital to accelerate the development of therapeutic antibodies against a novel target that degrades the extracellular matrix, a key contributor to cancer and arthritis (Press release, Albatroz Therapeutics, APR 25, 2023, View Source [SID1234630501]). The company also received the first Golden Ticket prize from Amgen in Singapore, recognizing the viability of its science and business plan.
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Cancer that has metastasized, spreading to other parts of the body, is notoriously difficult to treat and accounts for most cancer deaths. Albatroz has secured exclusive rights on a highly specific and novel target that blocks tumor growth and recurrence, including a range of therapeutic antibodies that inhibit this target.
"Degradation of the extracellular matrix is a critical component of both tumor growth and arthritis, however candidate drugs against this process have been limited in their use due to toxicity profiles," said Dr. Fred Bard, CEO and Scientific Co-Founder of Albatroz. "We are thrilled with the industry support that is allowing us to accelerate development of Albatroz’s novel therapeutic antibodies in order to move toward the clinic. We look forward to collaborating with pharmaceutical and biotech innovators in order to maximize the impact of this science."
While at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore, Dr. Bard published prominently on a pathway that controls protein glycosylation and drives extracellular matrix degradation. The study of the GalNAc-T Activation (GALA) glycosylation pathway led to the discovery of a new target, which becomes exposed at the cell surface after glycosylation. Activation of the target occurs specifically in tumors and arthritic synovial membranes, connective tissue that lines the joint capsule. Albatroz’s targeted antibodies have high specificity for this target selectively reducing extracellular matrix degradation while minimizing toxicity.
"Albatroz is building on careful, fundamental research comparing normal and cancer tissues, which led to the exciting discovery of a novel and broadly distributed target present on the surface of diverse solid tumors," said David Virshup, Director of the Programme in Cancer and Stem Cell Biology (CSCB) and Professor at Duke-NUS Medical School. "The therapeutic antibodies that Albatroz has developed may prevent the growth and metastasis of these cancers. These first-in-class agents have enormous potential to improve our ability to treat patients with cancer.