CXCL11

Regulatory T cell (Treg) immunomodulatory function significantly compromised and inflammatory cytokines and chemokines significantly increased in FTD patients COYA 302, Coya’s lead investigational product, is believed to restore Treg immunomodulatory function and target the inflammatory milieu observed in neurodegenerative diseases like FTD HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Coya Therapeutics, Inc. (“Coya” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing biologics primarily focused on the restoration of regulatory T cell (Treg) immunomodulatory function, announces the presentation of data demonstrating the role of the peripheral immune system in the pathophysiology of Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) from a biomarker study conducted at the Houston Methodist Hospital by Dr. Stanley Appel and Dr. Alireza Faridar and funded by the Houston Methodist Clinical Scholar Award Program. The poster presentation was shared for the first time today at the AD/PD 2024 Conference in Lisbon, Portugal and can be found here. The poster is titled, “Deciphering the Role of the Peripheral Immune System in the Pathology of Frontotemporal Dementia.” “The data from this biomarker study clearly depicts a compromised peripheral immune environment present in patients with FTD that, we believe, contributes to the pathophysiology of the disease process. Further, we believe that targeting systemic inflammation with COYA 302 may lower both peripheral and central nervous system inflammatory cell types while enhancing Treg function and may be a meaningful approach for FTD. We intend to Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the FDA for COYA 302 in FTD later this year and initiate a Ph. 2 trial in FTD patients shortly thereafter,” stated Fred Grossman, Chief Medical Officer at Coya Therapeutics. Summary of Study Results The study was designed to evaluate Treg immunosuppressive function, monocyte mRNA expression, levels of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and immune cell markers in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in blood samples of 22 FTD patients and 11 age-matched healthy individuals as a control group. Treg Function Compromised: Treg suppressive function was significantly reduced in FTD, compared to controls (p<0.01), demonstrating that Treg immunomodulatory function is negatively impacted in FTD. Pro-Inflammatory Systemic Immune Activity: Plasma levels of inflammatory chemokines and cytokines, including C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 9 (CXCL9), CXCL10, CXCL11, CXCL12, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 3 (CCL3), CCL7, and colony stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1) were consistently and significantly increased in FTD patients (p<0.05). In addition, several inflammation transcripts in monocyte genes known to be involved in neuroinflammatory signaling pathways were dysregulated in FTD, compared to controls. Results of the study demonstrate that FTD patients exhibit a compromised immunosuppressive function of Tregs, along with increased peripheral levels of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, dysregulation of peripheral monocyte’s inflammation transcriptome and systemic activation of the inflammatory cascade, supporting the critical role of the immune system in the pathophysiology of FTD. The data in FTD is consistent the Treg dysfunction and increased levels of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines previously reported by Coya in other serious and progressive neurodegenerative diseases and support the multi-pathway combination approach of COYA 302 to target numerous components of the dysfunctional immune system. About COYA 302 COYA 302 is an investigational and proprietary biologic combination therapy with a dual immunomodulatory mechanism of action intended to enhance the anti-inflammatory function of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and suppress the inflammation produced by activated monocytes and macrophages. COYA 302 is comprised of proprietary low dose interleukin-2 (LD IL-2) and CTLA-4 Ig and is being developed for subcutaneous administration for the treatment of patients with ALS, FTD, and PD. These mechanisms may have additive or synergistic effects. In February of 2023, Coya announced results from a proof-of-concept, open-label clinical study evaluating commercially available LD IL-2 and CTLA-4 Ig in a small cohort of patients with ALS conducted at the Houston Methodist Research Institute (Houston, Texas) by Stanley Appel, M.D., Jason Thonhoff, M.D., Ph.D., and David Beers, Ph.D. This study was the first-of-its-kind evaluating this dual-mechanism immunotherapy for the treatment of ALS. Patients in the study received investigational treatment for 48 consecutive weeks and were evaluated for safety and tolerability, Treg function, serum biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation, and clinical functioning as measured by the ALSFRS-R scale. During the 48-week treatment period, the therapy was well tolerated. The most common adverse event was mild injection-site reactions. No patient discontinued the study, and no deaths or other serious adverse events were reported. Patients' disease progression was measured using the ALSFRS-R scale, a validated rating tool for monitoring the progression of disability in patients with ALS. The mean (±SD) ALSFRS-R scores at week 24 (33.75 ±3.3) and week 48 (32 ±7.8) after initiation of treatment were not statistically different compared to the ALSFRS-R score at baseline (33.5 ±5.9), suggesting significant amelioration in the progression of the disease over the 48-week treatment period. Treg suppressive function, expressed as percentage of inhibition of proinflammatory T cell proliferation, showed a statistically significant increase over the course of the treatment period and was significantly reduced at the end of the 8-week washout post-treatment period. Treg suppressive function at 24 weeks (79.9 ±9.6) and 48 weeks (89.5 ±4.1) were significantly higher compared to baseline (62.1 ±8.1) (p<0.01), suggesting enhanced and durable Treg suppressive function over the course of treatment. In contrast, Treg suppressive function (mean ±SD) was significantly decreased at the end of the 8-week washout period compared to end-of-treatment at week 48 (70.3 ±8.1 vs. 89.5 ±4.1, p <0.05). The study also evaluated serum biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and lipid peroxides. The available data up to 16 weeks after initiation of treatment suggest a decrease in these biomarker levels, which is consistent with the observed enhancement of Treg function. The evaluation of the full biomarker data is ongoing. COYA 302 is an investigational product not yet approved by the FDA or any other regulatory agency. About Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a rare neurological disease that affects motor neurons, the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. About 20,000 people live with ALS in the United States and approximately 5,000 new cases are diagnosed every year. The disease is progressive, meaning the symptoms get worse over time. The functional status of ALS patients declines about 1 point per month on average, as measured by the Revised ALS Function Rating Scale1, or ALSFRS-R, a validated tool to monitor the progression of the disease. ALS has no cure, and the currently approved drug treatments provide limited benefit to patients. ALS is a type of motor neuron disease. As motor neurons degenerate and die, they stop sending messages to the muscles, which causes the muscles to weaken, start to twitch (fasciculations), and waste away (atrophy). Eventually, the brain loses its ability to initiate and control voluntary movements. Most people with ALS die from respiratory failure, usually within three to five years from when the symptoms first appear.2 About Frontotemporal Dementia Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is the result of damage to neurons in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. Many possible symptoms can result, including unusual behaviors, emotional problems, trouble communicating, difficulty with work, or difficulty with walking. FTD is rare and tends to occur at a younger age than other forms of dementia. About 60% of people with FTD are 45 to 64 years old. FTD is progressive, meaning symptoms get worse over time. In the early stages, people may have just one symptom. As the disease progresses, other symptoms appear as more parts of the brain are affected. It is difficult to predict how long someone with FTD will live. Some people live more than 10 years after diagnosis, while others live less than two years after they are diagnosed. There is no cure for FTD, and no treatments slow or stop the progression of the disease.3 References Atassi N, et al. The PRO-ACT database: design, initial analyses, and predictive features. Neurology, 2014;83:1719–1725. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000000951. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Website ( ), accessed on January 8, 2024. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Website ( ), accessed on January 8, 2024. About Coya Therapeutics, Inc. Headquartered in Houston, TX, Coya Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: COYA) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing proprietary treatments focused on the biology and potential therapeutic advantages of regulatory T cells (“Tregs”) to target systemic inflammation and neuroinflammation. Dysfunctional Tregs underlie numerous conditions, including neurodegenerative, metabolic, and autoimmune diseases, and this cellular dysfunction may lead to sustained inflammation and oxidative stress resulting in lack of homeostasis of the immune system. Coya’s investigational product candidate pipeline leverages multiple therapeutic modalities aimed at restoring the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory functions of Tregs. Coya’s therapeutic platforms include Treg-enhancing biologics, Treg-derived exosomes, and autologous Treg cell therapy. COYA 302 – the Company’s lead biologic investigational product or “Pipeline in a Product”– is a proprietary combination of COYA 301 (Coya’s proprietary LD IL-2) and CTLA4-Ig for subcutaneous administration with a unique dual mechanism of action that is now being developed for the treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Frontotemporal Dementia, Parkinson’s Disease, and Alzheimer’s Disease. Its multi-targeted approach enhances the number and anti-inflammatory function of Tregs and simultaneously lowers the expression of activated microglia and the secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators. This synergistic mechanism may lead to the re-establishment of immune balance and amelioration of inflammation in a sustained and durable manner that may not be achieved by either low-dose IL-2 or CTLA4-Ig alone. For more information about Coya, please visit Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains “forward-looking” statements that are based on our management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management. Forward-looking statements include all statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this presentation, including information concerning our current and future financial performance, business plans and objectives, current and future clinical and preclinical development activities, timing and success of our ongoing and planned clinical trials and related data, the timing of announcements, updates and results of our clinical trials and related data, our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval, the potential therapeutic benefits and economic value of our product candidates, competitive position, industry environment and potential market opportunities. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors including, but not limited to, those related to risks associated with the impact of COVID-19; the success, cost and timing of our product candidate development activities and ongoing and planned clinical trials; our plans to develop and commercialize targeted therapeutics; the progress of patient enrollment and dosing in our preclinical or clinical trials; the ability of our product candidates to achieve applicable endpoints in the clinical trials; the safety pro our product candidates; the potential for data from our clinical trials to support a marketing application, as well as the timing of these events; our ability to obtain funding for our operations; development and commercialization of our product candidates; the timing of and our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approvals; the rate and degree of market acceptance and clinical utility of our product candidates; the size and growth potential of the markets for our product candidates, and our ability to serve those markets; our commercialization, marketing and manufacturing capabilities and strategy; future agreements with third parties in connection with the commercialization of our product candidates; our expectations regarding our ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection; our dependence on third party manufacturers; the success of competing therapies or products that are or may become available; our ability to attract and retain key scientific or management personnel; our ability to identify additional product candidates with significant commercial potential consistent with our commercial objectives; and our estimates regarding expenses, future revenue, capital requirements and needs for additional financing. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, short-term and long-term business operations and objectives, and financial needs. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment, and new risks may emerge from time to time. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed herein may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Although our management believes that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee that the future results, levels of activity, performance or events and circumstances described in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

First-ever demonstration of sustained pre-transcriptional upregulation of gene expression by an epigenomic controller in both in vitro and in vivo models of liver fibrosis Single epigenomic controller demonstrated ability to simultaneously regulate the expression of chemokines CXCL9-11 across in vitro models of liver inflammation CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Omega Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: OMGA) (“Omega”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of a new class of programmable epigenomic mRNA medicines, today announced the presentation of new preclinical data from two different programs that demonstrated sustained upregulation of gene expression and coordinated pre-transcriptional downregulation of multiple genes in models of liver fibrosis and inflammation, respectively, at the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases’ (AASLD) The Liver Meeting® 2023, taking place in Boston, Massachusetts, November 10 – 14. “Genetic medicines have made tremendous progress towards precise downregulation of gene expression. However, to extend their reach, we need to bidirectionally control the expression of multiple genes simultaneously,” said Thomas McCauley, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Omega Therapeutics. “We believe that these new data demonstrate the power of our programmable epigenomic mRNA development candidates to control gene expression with unmatched flexibility. To our knowledge, these are the first results to show how site-specific epigenomic modulation can durably upregulate the expression of a master liver regeneration gene. Additionally, a second poster highlights our ability to multiplex gene regulation with a single construct to control a cluster of inflammatory chemokines. These exciting results highlight the progress we have made and possible applications of our approach in multiple liver diseases.” Poster 3444-A: Induction of Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4 alpha (HNF4α) using novel epigenomic controllers Key Findings Human cell lines treated with an epigenomic controller (EC) engineered to modulate the epigenetic profile of the P1 promoter of the HFN4α gene, a master regulator of liver development and function, showed strong increases of mRNA and protein levels.Upregulation of HFN4α expression following a single EC treatment persisted for ≥10 days and induced strong and durable increases in HNF4α mRNA levels in primary human hepatocytes.EC-mediated upregulation of HNF4α expression correlated with significantly reduced expression of clinically relevant fibrotic genes in vitro.Single administration of an EC in the humanized FRG mouse model resulted in induction of HNF4α mRNA levels compared to untreated FRG mice.EC-mediated induction of HNF4α expression in vivo in a mouse model of liver fibrosis led to decreased collagen deposition, a key marker of fibrosis. Regulation of HNF4α also led to changes in expression of other fibrosis-associated genes. Poster 2621-A: Targeting CXCL9/CXCL10/CXCL11 using novel epigenomic controllers for the treatment of inflammatory liver disease Key Findings: Treatment of mouse and human liver cells with ECs engineered to pre-transcriptionally downregulate the expression CXCL9, CXCL10 and CXCL11 resulted in robust mRNA downregulation and decreased protein levels of all three chemokines.Primary human hepatocytes stimulated with interferon gamma (INFG) and treated with a single EC targeting CXCL9-11 resulted in a statistically significant decrease in mRNA expression and protein levels of each chemokine compared to INFG stimulation alone.Human T cells exposed to conditioned media from primary human hepatocytes treated with INFG and an EC targeting CXCL9-11 displayed 75% reduced migration compared to cells treated with INFG alone. These posters are available on the Omega website at https://omegatherapeutics.com/science/publications. About Omega TherapeuticsOmega Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of a new class of programmable epigenomic mRNA medicines to treat or cure a broad range of diseases. By pre-transcriptionally modulating gene expression, Omega’s approach enables controlled epigenomic modulation of nearly all human genes, including historically undruggable and difficult-to-treat targets, without altering native nucleic acid sequences. Founded in 2017 by Flagship Pioneering following breakthrough research by world-renowned experts in the field of epigenetics, Omega is led by a seasoned and accomplished leadership team with a track record of innovation and operational excellence. The Company is committed to revolutionizing genomic medicine and has a diverse pipeline of therapeutic candidates derived from its OMEGA platform spanning oncology, regenerative medicine, multigenic diseases including immunology, and select monogenic diseases. For more information, visit omegatherapeutics.com, or follow us on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn. Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including without limitation statements regarding the broad potential of precision epigenomic control, the potential of the Company’s pipeline of therapeutic candidates, and upcoming events and presentations. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the following: the novel technology on which our product candidates are based makes it difficult to predict the time and cost of preclinical and clinical development and subsequently obtaining regulatory approval, if at all; the substantial development and regulatory risks associated with epigenomic controllers due to the novel and unprecedented nature of this new category of medicines; our limited operating history; the incurrence of significant losses and the fact that we expect to continue to incur significant additional losses for the foreseeable future; our need for substantial additional financing; our investments in research and development efforts that further enhance the OMEGA platform, and their impact on our results; uncertainty regarding preclinical development, especially for a new class of medicines such as epigenomic controllers; potential delays in and unforeseen costs arising from our clinical trials; the fact that our product candidates may be associated with serious adverse events, undesirable side effects or have other properties that could halt their regulatory development, prevent their regulatory approval, limit their commercial potential, or result in significant negative consequences; the impact of increased demand for the manufacture of mRNA and LNP based vaccines to treat COVID-19 on our development plans; difficulties manufacturing the novel technology on which our epigenomic controller candidates are based; our ability to adapt to rapid and significant technological change; our reliance on third parties for the manufacture of materials; our ability to successfully acquire and establish our own manufacturing facilities and infrastructure; our reliance on a limited number of suppliers for lipid excipients used in our product candidates; our ability to advance our product candidates to clinical development; and our ability to obtain, maintain, enforce and adequately protect our intellectual property rights. These and other important factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2023, and our other filings with the SEC, could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.

Data presented at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 38th Annual Meeting Longitudinal comparison of biomarkers in tumor microenvironment showed a gradual, durable response over time in T lymphotactic CXCR3 ligands and cytolytic factors Phase 2 study ongoing; topline interim results expected before year end AIM ImmunoTech Inc. (NYSE American: AIM) (“AIM”), an immuno-pharma company focused on the research and development of therapeutics to treat multiple types of cancers, immune disorders and viral diseases, today announced encouraging translational data from an ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial utilizing AIM’s drug Ampligen® in patients with platinum-sensitive advanced recurrent ovarian cancer. The abstract with data illustrations, titled “Combination intraperitoneal chemoimmunotherapy triggers a T-cell chemotactic locoregional response in patients with recurrent platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer,” was presented by collaborators from the Magee-Womens Research Institute at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (“UPMC") — one of the world’s top centers for the treatment of gynecological cancers — at the recent Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 38th Annual Meeting, in San Diego, Calif. The data was also made available at the conference in a poster presentation. Data highlighted in the abstract were collected by UPMC through translational studies focused on the immune tumor microenvironment (TME), using a longitudinal collection of biospecimens, including plasma, PBMC, IP washes and tumor tissue collected from patients treated in a Phase 2, efficacy/safety trial (NCT03734692) combining intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy (cisplatin) with dual agent immunotherapy using intravenous (IV) pembrolizumab (anti-PD1, Keytruda®, provided by Merck) and IP rintatolimod (Ampligen®, a dsRNA acting as toll-like receptor 3 -TLR-3- agonist, provided by AIM). Sequential sampling of the IP cavity showed an increase in cellularity immediately after treatment consistent with an “acute” pro-inflammatory reaction. Mesoscale Delivery (MSD) measurements in IP washes revealed an acute increase in granzyme B, perforin, TNF alpha, CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 after treatment (p<0.05). Longitudinal data revealed a progressive increase in some biomarkers (p<0.05). RNA sequencing data showed a significant upregulation acutely in STAT1 and downstream targets, CXCL9, 10, 11 and TH1 type response genes (p<0.05). Robert P. Edwards, MD, Chief Medical Officer of the UPMC Community and Ambulatory Services Division and Co-Director of the Women’s Cancer Research Center at the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, stated, “The profound local T-cell cytoxicity activation we see with this combination is markedly improved over previous work we have published on this platform with this recurrent disease profile.” David Strayer, MD, AIM’s Medical Officer, a Board-Certified oncologist and a former Professor of Medicine and Neoplastic Diseases at Hahnemann University, stated, “We continue to be encouraged by the data being demonstrated by Dr. Robert Edwards and his team at UPMC. These data highlight the effectiveness of combinatorial treatments including Ampligen in modulating the cellular make-up of the tumor microenvironment through cytokine profile changes. These data show a similar profile to previously published data from Roswell Park in Stage 4 triple negative breast cancer. The thing that intrigues me most is the persistent upregulation of the T-lymphotactic cytokines over time, and the lack of immune exhaustion as demonstrated in the ability of the treatment to cause a statistically significant upregulation of these cytokines after repeated treatment. As a whole, these data demonstrate an encouraging result in the promotion of increased T cell chemotaxis and cytolytic function for improved clinical outcomes in patients with advanced recurrent ovarian cancer.” AIM Chief Executive Officer Thomas K. Equels stated, “There is a significant unmet need in advanced recurrent ovarian cancer and these findings continue to bolster our confidence in Ampligen’s potential. Additionally, we hope to announce topline interim survival results from UPMC in the near future.” For more information about the Phase 2 clinical trial of platinum-sensitive advanced recurrent ovarian cancer utilizing Ampligen®, visit clinicaltrials.gov and reference identifier: NCT03734692. AIM ImmunoTech Inc. is an immuno-pharma company focused on the research and development of therapeutics to treat multiple types of cancers, immune disorders and viral diseases, including COVID-19. The company’s lead product is a first-in-class investigational drug called Ampligen® (rintatolimod), a dsRNA and highly selective TLR3 agonist immuno-modulator with broad spectrum activity in clinical trials for globally important cancers, viral diseases and disorders of the immune system. The content above comes from the network. if any infringement, please contact us to modify.