Columbia University Announces Formation of CuRAGE Therapeutics; Lead Candidate CR-3 Monoclonal Antibody Being Developed for the Treatment of Peripheral Artery Disease
Company to Present at NYC Invitation-Only VC Event Oct. 30
Berwyn, PA, October 06, 2018 --(PR.com)-- Columbia University announced the formation of CuRAGE Therapeutics, Inc., a newly-created company based on the groundbreaking research by Lynne Johnson, MD, a Professor of Medicine at Columbia, in the field of Receptors for Advanced Glycation Endproducts, commonly known as RAGE.
Dr Johnson, an internationally-renowned pioneer in RAGE, co-founded CuRAGE with Ihor Terleckyj, PhD, a former executive of GlaxoSmithKline, who is CEO. Dr. Johnson serves as the company’s Chief Scientific Advisor.
CuRAGE’s lead candidate is CR-3, a humanized monoclonal antibody developed in Dr. Johnson’s lab. It binds to RAGE, prevents its associated inflammatory activity and promotes conditions that allow new blood vessels to be created. This is particularly important In the case of PAD, or peripheral artery disease, as the new vessels can go around the blocked arteries which is the hallmark characteristic of this disease, to transport blood to the damaged tissues.
In PAD patients, especially those with diabetes, RAGE-induced damage is so severe, leaving surgical intervention the only current way to restore blood flow. In the final stage of PAD, amputation of the limb may become necessary.
In several well-established preclinical PAD models, Dr. Johnson and her team at Columbia demonstrated that CR-3 significantly increases the formation of new blood vessels and restores blood flow around arterial blockages in a matter of days.
Upon completion of IND enabling and Phase 1 safety studies, the company plans to move CR-3 into Phase 2 testing in patients with PAD to establish clinical efficacy in restoring arterial blood flow without surgery.
As currently envisioned, CR-3 would be self-administered once monthly with a subcutaneous auto injection delivery device.
“CR-3 represents a novel, first-in-class breakthrough therapy for PAD that addresses the disease head on” according to Dr. Johnson. “Currently, endovascular surgery is the only option to restore blood flow. However, a significant percentage of patients will require another procedure within 1-3 years. Plus, surgery has no definitive impact on the disease itself.”
Diabetics are more prone to the tissue damage associated with PAD due to elevated blood glucose levels which cause production of higher levels of advanced glycation end products, Worldwide, 220 million people are afflicted with PAD and it accounts for 20 percent of all U.S. hospital admissions.
Patients with PAD suffer a low quality of life. In its early stages, the ability to walk is severely impaired. As the disease progresses, skin lesions and ulcers can develop due to chronic deprivation of blood. In its final stages, amputation of the affected limbs may be necessary.
“I am very honored to be working with Lynne and her group at Columbia in developing CR-3 as a therapy for this crippling disease. There have been no real new or impactful agents available for PAD itself in over 10 years” stated Dr. Terleckyj, CEO of Curage Therapeutics.
CuRAGE is currently seeking funding to progress CR-3 forwards into drug development.
Individuals interested in attending CuRAGE’s invitation-only VC-Day presentation in midtown Manhattan on October 30, 2018 should contact Marina Blinova at Columbia Venture Technologies for details.
Contact Name: Marina Blinova,
Phone: 1-212-851-2147
Email: mb4262@columbia.edu
Dr Johnson, an internationally-renowned pioneer in RAGE, co-founded CuRAGE with Ihor Terleckyj, PhD, a former executive of GlaxoSmithKline, who is CEO. Dr. Johnson serves as the company’s Chief Scientific Advisor.
CuRAGE’s lead candidate is CR-3, a humanized monoclonal antibody developed in Dr. Johnson’s lab. It binds to RAGE, prevents its associated inflammatory activity and promotes conditions that allow new blood vessels to be created. This is particularly important In the case of PAD, or peripheral artery disease, as the new vessels can go around the blocked arteries which is the hallmark characteristic of this disease, to transport blood to the damaged tissues.
In PAD patients, especially those with diabetes, RAGE-induced damage is so severe, leaving surgical intervention the only current way to restore blood flow. In the final stage of PAD, amputation of the limb may become necessary.
In several well-established preclinical PAD models, Dr. Johnson and her team at Columbia demonstrated that CR-3 significantly increases the formation of new blood vessels and restores blood flow around arterial blockages in a matter of days.
Upon completion of IND enabling and Phase 1 safety studies, the company plans to move CR-3 into Phase 2 testing in patients with PAD to establish clinical efficacy in restoring arterial blood flow without surgery.
As currently envisioned, CR-3 would be self-administered once monthly with a subcutaneous auto injection delivery device.
“CR-3 represents a novel, first-in-class breakthrough therapy for PAD that addresses the disease head on” according to Dr. Johnson. “Currently, endovascular surgery is the only option to restore blood flow. However, a significant percentage of patients will require another procedure within 1-3 years. Plus, surgery has no definitive impact on the disease itself.”
Diabetics are more prone to the tissue damage associated with PAD due to elevated blood glucose levels which cause production of higher levels of advanced glycation end products, Worldwide, 220 million people are afflicted with PAD and it accounts for 20 percent of all U.S. hospital admissions.
Patients with PAD suffer a low quality of life. In its early stages, the ability to walk is severely impaired. As the disease progresses, skin lesions and ulcers can develop due to chronic deprivation of blood. In its final stages, amputation of the affected limbs may be necessary.
“I am very honored to be working with Lynne and her group at Columbia in developing CR-3 as a therapy for this crippling disease. There have been no real new or impactful agents available for PAD itself in over 10 years” stated Dr. Terleckyj, CEO of Curage Therapeutics.
CuRAGE is currently seeking funding to progress CR-3 forwards into drug development.
Individuals interested in attending CuRAGE’s invitation-only VC-Day presentation in midtown Manhattan on October 30, 2018 should contact Marina Blinova at Columbia Venture Technologies for details.
Contact Name: Marina Blinova,
Phone: 1-212-851-2147
Email: mb4262@columbia.edu
Contact
CuRAGE Therapeutics
Ihor Terleckyj
(973) 479-7110
www.curagerx.com
Ihor Terleckyj
(973) 479-7110
www.curagerx.com
Contact
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