TIDMPRTC
PureTech Health PLC
13 November 2020
13 November 2020
PureTech Health plc
PureTech Founded Entity Gelesis Presents Pre-Clinical Data
Suggesting Proprietary Hydrogel (GS300 Prototype) Reverses the
Damage to the Intestines Induced by a High Fat Diet
Gelesis hydrogel slowed the progression of fatty liver disease
even with persistent damaging effects of chronic high fat diet
Therapies exploiting the gut liver axis may offer a unique
treatment option for metabolic liver disorders
PureTech Health plc (LSE: PRTC) ("PureTech" or the "Company"), a
clinical-stage biotherapeutics company dedicated to discovering,
developing and commercialising highly differentiated medicines for
devastating diseases, is pleased to note that its Founded Entity,
Gelesis, today announced the release of a poster presentation on
the therapeutic findings of its Gel-B (GS300) at The Liver Meeting,
the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease's (AASLD)
annual conference.
The full text of the announcement from Gelesis is as
follows:
Gelesis Presents Pre-Clinical Data Suggesting Proprietary
Hydrogel (GS300 Prototype) Reverses the Damage to the Intestines
Induced by a High Fat Diet
Gelesis hydrogel slowed the progression of fatty liver disease
even with persistent damaging effects of chronic high fat diet
Therapies exploiting the gut liver axis may offer a unique
treatment option for metabolic liver disorders
Boston, November 13, 2020 - Gelesis, a biotechnology company
developing a novel hydrogel platform technology to treat obesity
and other chronic metabolic diseases, released today a poster
presentation on the therapeutic findings of its Gel-B (GS300) at
The Liver Meeting, the American Association for the Study of Liver
Disease's (AASLD) annual conference.
Gel-B (a prototype of GS300) is Gelesis' superabsorbent hydrogel
that uses crosslinked citric acid and modified cellulose and is
orally administered. Previous animal data showed that Gel-B, when
administered preventatively in conjunction with a high fat diet
(HFD), reduced weight gain, prevented hepatic steatosis, and
improved gut barrier function. This new pre-clinical study
highlights that Gel-B may also have therapeutic benefits in mice
fed a high fat diet.
"These pre-clinical data add to the growing body of evidence
supporting the effect of orally administered hydrogel acting as a
topical therapy for the intestinal wall to prevent and reverse the
damage induced by a westernised diet," said Maria Rescigno, PhD,
professor at Humanitas Research Hospital in Milan and one of the
study's lead investigators. "Many of the treatment options
currently available do not address the gut, and they are
pharmacological and many come with potential tolerability and
safety issues. These data suggest that Gel-B may offer a
non-pharmacological alternative and new approach to potentially
treat fatty liver disease."
Chronic consumption of high fat diet can cause disruption of the
gut barrier, leading to metabolic dysfunction and systemic
inflammation. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is
increasingly prevalent and is the most common form of chronic liver
disease in the United States, affecting about one-quarter of the
population. Some individuals with NAFLD can develop nonalcoholic
steatohepatitis (NASH), an aggressive form of fatty liver disease,
which is marked by liver inflammation and may progress to advanced
scarring (cirrhosis) and liver failure.
In Poster Presentation (EP-16730), Gelesis hydrogel reverses
high fat diet-induced intestinal alterations and slows progression
of hepatic steatosis in DIO mice , hepatic steatosis was induced by
feeding mice HFD (45%) for 12 weeks prior to treatment allocation.
Between weeks 12 and 24, mice were treated with either HFD alone
(n=20), HFD + Gel-B 2% (n=18), or HFD + Gel-B 4% (n=18). A control
group (n=21) was fed chow alone for the entire experiment. At
baseline, the mice had increased body weight, larger adipocytes,
fatty liver, intestinal atrophy, and impaired intestinal barrier
function. After 12 weeks of Gel-B 2 or 4% treatment, body weight
and adipocyte size were significantly reduced compared to mice
continuously fed HFD. Gel-B treatment also prevented intestinal
atrophy induced by HFD. Intestinal permeability, as measured by the
amount of serum FITC-dextran (4 kDa) 4 hours after oral
administration, was reduced in both Gel-B groups compared to HFD
control. These data support the hypothesis that Gel-B may protect
against and reverse the harmful effects of HFD and future research
could explore its therapeutic benefit in the presence of hepatic
steatosis and aggressive forms of fatty liver disease.
Alessandra Silvestri, PhD, of the Laboratory of Mucosal
Immunology and Microbiota at Humanitas Research Hospital will
provide a recorded overview of these results and will be available
for virtual questions by meeting participants.
"In multiple different mice models, we consistently see the same
intestinal tissue repair in response to the mechanical forces
applied by the Gelesis hydrogels," said Elaine Chiquette, PharmD,
Gelesis' Chief Scientific Officer. "We are excited to translate
these mechanobiological therapeutic effects into upcoming clinical
trials."
About Gelesis
Gelesis is developing a novel hydrogel platform technology to
treat overweight and obesity and chronic diseases related to the GI
pathway. Gelesis' proprietary approach is designed to act
mechanically in the GI pathway to potentially alter the course of
certain chronic diseases. In April 2019, Gelesis received FDA
clearance for its lead product candidate, Plenity(R), as an aid for
weight management in overweight and obese adults with a Body Mass
Index (BMI) of 25-40 kg/m(2) , when used in conjunction with diet
and exercise. It was also granted a CE Mark, which allows Gelesis
to market Plenity in the European Economic Area. Plenity is
currently available in limited release in the U.S. Additionally,
Gelesis is developing additional investigational candidates such as
Gelesis200, a hydrogel optimised for weight loss and glycaemic
control in patients with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. Novel
hydrogel mechanotherapeutics based on the Gelesis platform
technology are also being advanced in other GI inflammatory
conditions, such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and
functional constipation. For more information, visit gelesis.com or
connect with us on Twitter @GelesisInc.
About PureTech Health
PureTech is a clinical-stage biotherapeutics company dedicated
to discovering, developing and commercialising highly
differentiated medicines for devastating diseases, including
intractable cancers, lymphatic and gastrointestinal diseases,
central nervous system disorders and inflammatory and immunological
diseases, among others. The Company has created a broad and deep
pipeline through the expertise of its experienced research and
development team and its extensive network of scientists,
clinicians and industry leaders. This pipeline, which is being
advanced both internally and through PureTech's Founded Entities,
is comprised of 24 products and product candidates, including two
that have received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance
and European marketing authorisation. All of the underlying
programmes and platforms that resulted in this pipeline of product
candidates were initially identified or discovered and then
advanced by the PureTech team through key validation points based
on the Company's unique insights into the biology of the brain,
immune and gut, or BIG, systems and the interface between those
systems, referred to as the BIG Axis.
For more information, visit www.puretechhealth.com or connect
with us on Twitter @puretechh.
Forward Looking Statement
This press release contains statements that are or may be
forward-looking statements, including statements that relate to the
Gelesis' future prospects, developments, and strategies. The
forward looking statements are based on current expectations and
are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could
cause actual results, performance and achievements to differ
materially from current expectations, including, but not limited
to, our expectations regarding the potential therapeutic benefits
of Gel-B (GS300) and those risks and uncertainties described in the
risk factors included in the regulatory filings for PureTech Health
plc. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions
regarding the present and future business strategies of the company
and the environment in which it will operate in the future. Each
forward-looking statement speaks only as at the date of this press
release. Except as required by law and regulatory requirements,
neither the company nor any other party intends to update or revise
these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.
Contact:
Investors EU media
Allison Mead Talbot Ben Atwell, Rob Winder
+1 617 651 3156 +44 (0) 20 3727 1000
amt@puretechhealth.com ben.atwell@FTIconsulting.com
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END
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