ZyVersa Therapeutics' Viewpoint on "Why Kidney Indications Are Coming into Sharp Focus" Reported in BIOCENTURY Innovations' Article

WESTON, Fla., Oct. 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- ZyVersa Therapeutics, Inc., (ZyVersa) a clinical stage specialty biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class drugs for treatment of inflammatory and renal diseases, is pleased to announce that the October 3rd edition of BIOCENTURY Innovations reported ZyVersa's viewpoint on the mounting interest in renal drug development among investors, biotechs, and pharma. The article, Kidney is the new liver: why kidney indications are coming into sharp focus, notes that people are calling the kidney the new liver due to the significant number of relatively common kidney diseases that have substantial unmet medical needs resulting in a high economic burden. Within the past 5 years, renal drug development has been de-risked due to FDA's acceptance of short-term surrogate endpoints, such as proteinuria, and the ability to segment patients into homogeneous groups through AI and machine learning from large patient data bases, such as Neptune. This has resulted in a surge of interest and investment in this area, as was seen in the past with liver disease.

The article mentions that ZyVersa is taking a unique approach to kidney disease with our lead candidate, VAR 200. VAR 200 targets podocyte cholesterol accumulation resulting from impaired transport out of the cells (impaired efflux). The excess cholesterol causes structural damage to the kidneys' filtration system, resulting in kidney dysfunction. No other company is pursuing this target. Other drugs in development are focusing on inflammation, oxidation, and fibrosis.

A copy of the BIOCENTURY Innovations article can be found on ZyVersa's website: Click Here.

About VAR 200

VAR 200, 2-Hydroxypropyl-Beta-Cyclodextrin, is a cholesterol efflux mediator in development for patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a rare kidney disease. Phase 2a trials are expected to begin before years' end.

VAR 200 uniquely targets an underlying pathology of kidney disease, impaired cholesterol removal from the kidneys' filtration system. The resulting cholesterol accumulation causes structural damage and kidney dysfunction. There is evidence that VAR 200 promotes cholesterol removal from kidney cells in two different ways. It has a hydrophobic core that entraps and passively removes cholesterol from the cells, and it induces active cholesterol removal by promoting a beneficial change in cholesterol efflux transporters. As a cholesterol efflux mediator, VAR 200 offers potential for indication expansion across multiple kidney diseases, including Alport syndrome and diabetic kidney disease.

About IC 100

IC 100 is a monoclonal antibody that uniquely inhibits the adaptor ASC component of multiple types of inflammasomes. Because pathogenesis of numerous chronic inflammatory diseases involves activation of more than one type of inflammasome (e.g. the NLRP3 inflammasome), IC 100 may be more effective for treating a broad range of inflammatory diseases than targeting just one. We are exploring use of IC 100 in two chronic kidney diseases, lupus nephritis and diabetic kidney disease, among other indications.

By inhibiting ASC, IC 100 blocks inflammasome formation, with potential to block initiation of the inflammatory cascade. By inhibiting the ASC component of ASC Specks, IC 100 disrupts the structure and function of ASC Specks, with potential to block perpetuation of the inflammatory response responsible for chronic, damaging inflammation. For more information about IC 100's mechanism of action, please review the infographic by Clicking Here.

About ZyVersa Therapeutics, Inc.

ZyVersa is a clinical stage specialty biopharmaceutical company leveraging advanced, proprietary technologies to develop first-in-class drugs. Our focus is on patients with inflammatory or renal diseases who have significant unmet medical needs. Our clinical pipeline includes a phase 2a-ready asset, VAR 200, a cholesterol efflux mediator for treatment of a rare kidney disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), and a novel inflammasome inhibitor with potential to treat multiple inflammatory diseases. For more information, please visit www.zyversa.com.

SOURCE ZyVersa Therapeutics, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.zyversa.com