Altamira Therapeutics Announces Poster Presentations at AHA Scientific Sessions 2021

• Altamira’s peptide-based platform for extrahepatic RNA delivery shows promising results in management of abdominal aortic aneurysm in murine disease models
• siRNA polyplexes targeting NF-kB suppress disease progression and prevent rupture of aorta
• mRNA polyplexes targeting SOD-2 mitigate expansion of aortic aneurysm

HAMILTON, BERMUDA / ACCESSWIRE / November 15, 2021 / Altamira Therapeutics Ltd. (NASDAQ:CYTO) (“Altamira” or the “Company”), a company dedicated to addressing unmet medical needs through RNA therapeutics, allergy and viral infection protection, and inner ear therapeutics, today announced the presentation of data from two studies by a research group at Washington University, St. Louis, MO, on the use of the Company’s RNA delivery platforms for extrahepatic nucleotide delivery in the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm (“AAA”) at the American Heart Association (“AHA”) Scientific Sessions, taking place on November 13-15, 2021.

In Western countries, AAA affects about one subject in 20 over a lifetime.¹ AAA rupture is a life-threatening condition that leads to death in 80% of cases and is responsible for 1-2% of deaths in those older than 65 years.²

Both studies were designed, conducted, and analyzed independently of Altamira and sponsored in part by research grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Veterans Administration. They utilized the peptide delivery platform invented at Washington University and licensed to Altamira, which is now under development as OligoPhore™ / SemaPhore™.

In the first study, siRNA polyplexes were used to reduce the expression of the NF-kB p50 subunit, a critical key modulator of the inflammatory process in AAA.³ The study, which was performed in two murine AAA models, showed that systemic delivery of the siRNA polyplexes mitigated AAA expansion and protected 100% of mice from rupture (and sudden death), respectively. In both models, knockdown of p50 was accompanied by significant decrease in inflammatory infiltrate, release of various cytokines, inducible nitric oxide synthase expression, and cell apoptosis.

In the second proof-of-concept study, mRNA polyplexes were used to enhance the expression of SOD2 (superoxide dismutase 2), a key modulator of mitochondrial oxidative stress that is implicated in AAA.⁴ The study demonstrated that systemic delivery of the mRNA polyplexes suppressed expansion of AAA, accompanied by enhanced SOD2 protein expression in aortic wall tissue, decreased inducible nitric oxide synthase expression, and lowered nitric oxide production and cell death.

“AAA is an inflammatory process associated with a high risk of mortality due to rupture, if left untreated,” stated Samuel Wickline, MD, Altamira’s Chief Scientific Officer. “Modulating this process has shown promise in previous studies, but to date, either surgical or stent interventions remain the only therapeutic options. Because our platform technologies enable targeted RNA therapeutic delivery, they offer significant potential for the treatment of AAA and other conditions that might benefit from systemic delivery of nucleotide therapeutics targeted to extrahepatic pathologies.”

The key findings highlighted in the two poster presentations have been published in abstract form in the scientific journal, Circulation.

References

¹ Tang W et al. (2016), Lifetime risk and risk factors for abdominal aortic aneurysm in a 24-year prospective study: the ARIC study (atherosclerosis risk in communities), Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, 36: 2468-77.

² Reimerink JJ et al. (2013), Systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based mortality from ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, Br J Surg, 100: 1405-13.

³ Yan H et al. (2021), Peptide-siRNA nanoparticles targeting NF-kB subunit p50 suppress experimental abdominal aortic aneurysm progression and prevent rupture, AHA Scientific Sessions, abstract 14198.

⁴ Yan H et al. (2021), Systemic delivery of SOD2 mRNA to experimental abdominal aortic aneurysm mitigates expansion, AHA Scientific Sessions, abstract 14026.

About Altamira Therapeutics

Altamira Therapeutics is dedicated to developing therapeutics that address important unmet medical needs. The Company is currently active in three areas: the development of RNA therapeutics for extrahepatic therapeutic targets (OligoPhore™ / SemaPhore™ platforms; preclinical), nasal sprays for protection against airborne viruses and allergens (Bentrio™; commercial) for the treatment of vertigo (AM-125; Phase 2), and the development of therapeutics for intratympanic treatment of tinnitus or hearing loss (Keyzilen® and Sonsuvi®; Phase 3). The Company was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda with its main operations in Basel, Switzerland. The shares of Altamira Therapeutics Ltd. trade on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “CYTO”.

Forward-looking Statements

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Investor contact:

Stephen Kilmer
646.274.3580
sjk@altamiratherapeutics.com

SOURCE: Altamira Therapeutics Ltd.

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