Aluda Pharmaceuticals announces peer-reviewed publication on ALD-R491, an Exosome Release Inhibitor and novel oncology mechanism

MENLO PARK, Calif., July 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Aluda Pharmaceuticals, a private company, announced the publication of an article in a peer reviewed journal describing a novel mechanism of Exosome Release Inhibition (ExoRI) for the treatment of a broad range of cancers.  Over the past decade, tumor exosomes have been studied extensively in academia for their roles carrying signals that make tumors invasive, create a tumor microenvironment (TME) that enables evasion from immune detection, and promote metastases.  Tumor cells upregulate their release of exosomes to promote these roles throughout all stages of cancer, across many types of cancers, transporting multiple pro-cancer signals, many of which are existing drug targets.  Inhibition represents a way to block many signals at once, even as they change over time.  Research has shown that PD-L/PD-L1, the important immune checkpoint targets, avoid detection by their transport in exosomes, so exosome inhibitors may also address the large rate of non-response for that class of agents.

Aluda's paper, entitled A Small Vimentin-Binding Molecule Blocks Cancer Exosome Release and Reduces Cancer Cell Mobility, appears in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology, and describes the exosome release inhibition action of ALD-R491 through multiple in vitro models. Further in studies with ALD-R491 show exosome-driven tissue changes consistent with diminished signaling and a lowered TME.

The essential role of vimentin in enabling exosome movement was discovered by Aluda. 

Aluda CEO Dr. Ruihuan Chen said, "These results show exosome inhibition can block the messages sent by tumors to drive metastases, reduce the TME, and increase systemic dysregulation. It enables tumors to be detected and attacked by native immunity, and is a non-cytotoxic mechanism that is oral so we expect exosome release inhibition (ExoRI) will be an effective, safe, and patient-friendly anti-cancer therapy with new and significant benefits to patients, and complementarity to existing drugs."

About ALD-R491

ALD-R491 targets vimentin which is an intracellular protein that forms dynamic and flexible filaments which play an essential role in disease to mobilize, become invasive, and activate process, including the release of tumor exosomes.  Many different types of diseases, from autoimmune and fibrosis to cancer, rely on vimentin filaments for these steps.  ALD-R491 binds to a specific domain on vimentin, changing its physical properties and interrupting its role in disease.  As a first-in-class "vimentin binder", ALD-R491 showed wide efficacy against disease. ALD-R491 has completed all IND filing requirements including complete two-species GLP tox. 

About Aluda

Aluda discovers and develops novel drugs related to the signaling between cells that is central to immunological defense, inflammation, and disease pathogenesis. Programs include both new and previously explored drug targets with a focus on inflammation, oncology, and autoimmune.  For more information, see www.aludapharm.com.

SOURCE Aluda Pharmaceuticals

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