Vasomune Therapeutics Inc. announced today that it will present new data on its lead drug candidate AV-001 at the upcoming 2025 American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Conference. The late-breaking scientific poster will showcase AV-001's protective effects against endothelial cell permeability induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection/COVID-19.
The presentation is scheduled for May 21, 2025, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM PT at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, as part of the Late-Breaking Advances in Pulmonary Vascular Disease session.
Novel Mechanism Targeting Vascular Dysfunction
AV-001 represents a pioneering approach to treating diseases associated with vascular dysfunction. The fully synthetic PEGylated peptide targets the Tie2 receptor, a transmembrane protein predominantly expressed on endothelial cells in the vasculature.
"Activation of the Tie2 receptor plays a critical role in vascular stability, barrier integrity, and endothelial quiescence," explained Shahid Ahmad, Vice-President of Operations and Planning at Vasomune. "This mechanism has shown significant potential to benefit the prevention and treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome."
The drug works by activating the Tie2-Angiopoietin signaling axis, which through multiple downstream pathways normalizes the vasculature by enhancing endothelial cell stability, restoring normal barrier defense, and blocking vascular leak.
Promising Preclinical Results
In multiple preclinical studies, AV-001 has demonstrated remarkable efficacy. The compound tightened endothelial cell-cell junctions and promoted endothelial cell survival, which reduced pulmonary edema and improved lung function compared to untreated controls. These effects translated into significantly improved survival rates in animal models.
The upcoming poster presentation (Poster 907) will specifically address how AV-001 protects against the endothelial cell permeability induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection, a key pathological feature of severe COVID-19.
Ongoing Clinical Development
Vasomune and its co-development partner AnGes Inc. are currently advancing AV001-004, a CDMRP-supported Phase 2a study of AV-001 in patients with bacterial and viral pneumonia. This study builds on the understanding that vascular dysfunction contributes significantly to the pathophysiology of various conditions, including bacterial and viral acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, hemorrhagic shock, and several other disease syndromes.
Originally discovered and designed at Sunnybrook Research Institute at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, AV-001 is being developed under a co-development agreement between Vasomune Therapeutics and AnGes, Inc. [TYO: 4563].
Broader Implications for Vascular Diseases
The potential applications for AV-001 extend beyond respiratory conditions. Vascular dysfunction is associated with the pathology of several disease states, including sepsis, acute kidney injury, stroke, and vascular dementia.
Founded in 2014, Vasomune has focused on vascular normalization strategies and has successfully progressed AV-001 from bench to bedside. The company maintains its corporate headquarters and laboratories in Toronto, Canada, with additional offices in Raleigh, NC.
Those interested in learning more about the research can access the presentation materials on Vasomune's website (https://vasomune.com/) after the conclusion of the ATS Conference.
