Valted Seq Announces Exclusive Right to Develop PAR and c-Abl Pathway Biomarker Assays for Diagnosis of Neurodegenerative Diseases
GAITHERSBURG, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Valted Seq, a biotechnology company focused on the discovery of neurodegenerative pathways and biomarkers to inform and accelerate development of new therapeutics and diagnostics, today announced an exclusive right to evaluate technology from Johns Hopkins University for development of poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) and c-Abl pathway biomarker assays to enable diagnosis and management of neurodegenerative diseases.
These minimally invasive assays are highly specific for their target and have the potential to be used during clinical trials to inform target engagement, patient selection and potentially become companion diagnostic assays. The specific assays include those for:
- Detection of PAR in the cerebral spinal fluid, serum or plasma exosomes for diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease
- Diagnosis of Parkinson’s and related α-synucleinopathies through assessment of c-Abl pathway molecules from serum or plasma exosomes
“There are currently no clinically accepted biomarker assays available for Parkinson’s disease. An assay capable of identifying disease-relevant biomarker results would provide high medical value to these patients,” said Seulki Lee, Ph.D., Chairman of Valted Seq.
Hyperactivation of PARP-1 leads to programmed cell death and occurs in conditions such as Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, heart attack, diabetes and ischemia-reperfusion injury. PARP inhibitors are known therapeutic targets in several diseases. The ability to measure PAR levels in CSF and/or blood derived samples may therefore be beneficial in multiple diseases to gain better understanding of the stage or progression, and therapeutic efficacy.
c-Abl pathway markers include c-Abl, alpha-synuclein, parkin, AIMP2, PARIS, PARP1 and PAR. A validated biomarker assay for any of these markers or a combination of these markers could fundamentally change how Parkinson’s disease and other c-Abl pathway driven neurodegenerative diseases can be diagnosed, monitored or treated.
“Our sponsored research agreement with Johns Hopkins has been highly productive and the obvious next step was to bring this technology in-house. This exclusive agreement will allow us to evaluate and optimize multiple PAR and c-Abl pathway biomarker assays for potential use in clinical applications,” said Isabell Loftin, Ph.D., VP, Diagnostics at Valted Seq. “These applications include screening, diagnosis, patient selection and stratification for clinical trials, monitoring disease progression and evaluation of the efficacy of future therapies in Parkinson’s disease and related α-synucleinopathies.”
About Valted Seq
Valted Seq is focused on the discovery of neurodegenerative pathways and biomarkers to inform and accelerate development of new therapeutics and diagnostics, including companion diagnostics which play a critical role in enabling advanced therapeutics. To achieve this, the company has created the world’s largest repository of single-cell sequencing data from high-quality, clinically characterized brain tissues of patients with neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Valted Seq is a subsidiary of D&D Pharmatech.
About D&D Pharmatech
D&D Pharmatech is a clinical-stage global biotech company that funds the development of revolutionary medicines through disease-specific subsidiary companies founded and guided by top-tier medical research faculty. This corporate structure creates a unique opportunity to accelerate translation of cutting-edge research into lifesaving therapeutic products for patients. The company’s product pipeline focuses on a range of indications including neurodegenerative, fibrotic and metabolic diseases. D&D Pharmatech is the parent company of U.S.-based Neuraly Inc., Theraly Fibrosis Inc., Precision Molecular Inc., Valted Seq, Inc. and P4 Microbiome, Inc. For more information, please visit http://www.ddpharmatech.com/.
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