WNT16

HAMILTON, BERMUDA , Jan. 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Altamira Therapeutics to Present at 3rd Annual mRNA-Based Therapeutics Summit Altamira’s two flagship programs, AM-401 and AM-411, designed for KRAS-driven cancer and rheumatoid arthritis, serve to demonstrate the technology’s capability to enhance therapeutic efficacy HAMILTON, BERMUDA Jan. 8, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Altamira Therapeutics Ltd. ("Altamira" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: CYTO), a company providing nanoparticle-based technology for efficient RNA delivery to extrahepatic targets, announced today that it will be presenting at the 3rd Annual mRNA-Based Therapeutics Summit, being held January 23-25 at the JW Marriott Hotel, Berlin. Covadonga Pañeda, Ph.D., the Company's Chief Operating Officer, will give a presentation at the conference titled, "Delivery of therapeutic RNA in inflammation and cancer using peptide-based nanoparticles”. In addition, she will participate in the panel discussion on “Tissue specific targeting of mRNA to increase therapeutic efficacy.” "There is a strong and growing interest in the use of mRNA for highly targeted treatment of a broad range of human diseases, based on the unique ability of mRNA to promote expression of specific proteins,” Dr. Pañeda commented. “However, even the most powerful mRNA therapeutic is useless if it is not delivered safely and effectively into target cells, which has remained one of the key challenges for non-hepatic targets to date. Thanks to our SemaPhore platform we are able to deliver therapeutic mRNA, in an efficient and safe manner, to tissues harboring a tumor or suffering from acute or chronic inflammation, restricting the therapeutic effect of the drug to the site where it is needed." SemaPhore™, Altamira’s peptide-based delivery platform for mRNA, has been successfully tested so far in vivo in models of osteoarthritis (WNT16, DNMT3B), atherosclerosis (p27Kip1), aortic aneurysm (SOD2), and tumor microenvironment (ZBTB46). About Altamira Therapeutics Altamira Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CYTO) is developing and supplying peptide-based nanoparticle technologies for efficient RNA delivery to extrahepatic tissues (OligoPhore™ / SemaPhore™ platforms). The Company currently has two flagship siRNA programs using its proprietary delivery technology: AM-401 for KRAS driven cancer and AM-411 for rheumatoid arthritis, both in preclinical development beyond in vivo proof of concept. The versatile delivery platform is also suited for mRNA and other RNA modalities and made available to pharma or biotech companies through out-licensing. In addition, Altamira holds a 49% stake (with additional economic rights) in its commercial-stage legacy asset Bentrio®, an OTC nasal spray for allergic rhinitis. Further, the Company is in the process of partnering / divesting its inner ear legacy assets (AM-125 nasal spray for vertigo; post Phase 2; Keyzilen® and Sonsuvi® for tinnitus and hearing loss; Phase 3). Founded in 2003, Altamira is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, with its main operations in Basel, Switzerland. For more information, visit: https://altamiratherapeutics.com Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are statements other than historical facts and may include statements that address future operating, financial or business performance or Altamira’s strategies or expectations. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as "may", "might", "will", "should", "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "estimates", "predicts", "projects", "potential", "outlook" or "continue", or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs and involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, developments and business decisions to differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the success of strategic transactions, including licensing or partnering, with respect to Altamira’s legacy assets, Altamira’s need for and ability to raise substantial additional funding to continue the development of its product candidates, the clinical utility of Altamira’s product candidates, the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals, Altamira’s intellectual property position and Altamira’s financial position, including the impact of any future acquisitions, dispositions, partnerships, license transactions or changes to Altamira’s capital structure, including future securities offerings. These risks and uncertainties also include, but are not limited to, those described under the caption "Risk Factors" in Altamira’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2022, and in Altamira’s other filings with the Securities Exchange Commission (“SEC”), which are available free of charge on the SEC’s website at: www.sec.gov. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated. All forward-looking statements and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to Altamira or to persons acting on behalf of Altamira are expressly qualified in their entirety by reference to these risks and uncertainties. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Altamira does not undertake any obligation to update them in light of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable law.

WEDNESDAY, May 24, 2023 -- A unique genetic brew has benefitted a Scottish woman who lives virtually pain-free, heals more rapidly and experiences reduced anxiety and fear, researchers from University College London report. Pain geneticists have been studying the woman, Jo Cameron, for a decade. She came to their attention when her doctor noticed that she experienced no pain after major surgeries on her hip and hand. After six years of examination, researchers identified a new gene named FAAH-OUT, which contained genetic mutations that were the cause of Cameron’s unique abilities. However, they still had no idea how exactly these mutations benefitted her, so research continued, leading to this new study . The area of the genome containing FAAH-OUT had previously been assumed to be "junk" DNA without any apparent function. But researchers now say it mediates the expression of FAAH, a gene that is part of the endocannabinoid system and is well-known for its involvement in pain, mood and memory. The team found that FAAH-OUT regulates the expression of FAAH, and that Cameron’s specific mutation causes it to be significantly turned down. As a result, her FAAH enzyme activity levels are reduced. Researchers found another 797 genes that were turned up and 348 genes that were turned down in Cameron. These included the WNT pathway that is associated with wound healing, with increased activity in the WNT16 gene that has been linked to bone regeneration. Two other key altered genes they found were BDNF, which has been linked to mood regulation, and ACKR3, which helps regulate opioid levels. Taken together, these gene changes may contribute to Cameron’s low levels of anxiety, fear and pain, researchers said. “The initial discovery of the genetic root of Jo Cameron’s unique phenotype was a eureka moment and hugely exciting, but these current findings are where things really start to get interesting,” said senior researcher James Cox , a professor with UCL Medicine. “By understanding precisely what is happening at a molecular level, we can start to understand the biology involved and that opens up possibilities for drug discovery that could one day have far-reaching positive impacts for patients,” Cox said in a university news release. Senior researcher Andrei Okorokov of UCL Medicine described the FAAH-OUT gene as just one small corner of a vast continent, which this study has begun to map. “As well as the molecular basis for painlessness, these explorations have identified molecular pathways affecting wound healing and mood, all influenced by the FAAH-OUT mutation,” he said in the release. “As scientists it is our duty to explore and I think these findings will have important implications for areas of research such as wound healing, depression and more,” Okorokov added. The findings were published May 23 in the journal Brain . Sources University College London, news release, May 23, 2023 Posted May 2023

Altamira's peptide-based SemaPhore™ nanoparticle technology confers great stability to mRNA, is non-immunogenic and non-toxic, enabling delivery to extrahepatic targets and efficient endosomal release Continued momentum in mRNA vaccines and therapeutics with over 840 programs under development, according to fresh data from Beacon RNA database by Hanson Wade Limitations of hitherto dominant lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technologies call for alternate mRNA delivery solutions HAMILTON, BERMUDA / ACCESSWIRE / April 11, 2023 / Altamira Therapeutics ("Altamira" or the "Company") (Nasdaq:CYTO), a company dedicated to developing RNA-based therapeutics that address important unmet medical needs, positions its peptide-based SemaPhore™ nanoparticle technology as a versatile and efficient alternative to the hitherto dominant lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery technologies in the fast growing field of mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) applications. According to fresh data from the Beacon RNA database by Hanson Wade, the number of mRNA vaccines and therapeutics under development has now grown to more than 840, of which 356 are using some sort of LNP for delivery. While LNPs have been effectively and widely used especially for delivery of mRNA vaccines, they have certain limitations which prevent or restrict their use in various promising areas of therapeutic mRNA application. These limitations include predominant uptake by the liver following systemic administration, limited stability (requiring storage at ultralow temperatures), LNP-related toxicity and immunogenicity as well as poor endosomal release within cells (reported at only 1-2% of the payload).[1],[2] Based on SemaPhore's unique features, Altamira sees strong promise for its application in the field of mRNA delivery. SemaPhore nanoparticles are characterized by a favorable tolerability pro solving some of the inherent issues observed with LNPs: namely, delivering their cargo extra-hepatically, and efficiently promoting cellular uptake as well as endosomal release. In addition, SemaPhore is able to protect its RNA cargo from degradation without triggering an immune response (non-immunogenic). This latter feature is essential for those therapeutic indications where repeated administrations are required. "We are excited about the increasing recognition of SemaPhore's differentiating features, as we are seeing growing interest by pharma and biotech companies in our technology," commented Covadonga Pañeda, Ph.D., Altamira's Chief Operating Officer. "SemaPhore's effective cellular uptake and transfection capacity, which was recently confirmed by an independent comparison of several mRNA delivery technologies in cancer cells, as well as the ability to reach extrahepatic targets and achieve high release rates for the RNA payload, resonate well given the limitations of LNPs. We are keen on seeing SemaPhore adopted for the development of promising novel mRNA therapeutics in collaboration with biotech and pharma partners." About SemaPhore SemaPhore is a versatile platform for safe and effective delivery of mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) into target cells. It is based on a patented 21-amino acid peptide that can engage any type of RNA in rapid self-assembly into a polyplex. The polyplex has a size, charge, and other physical features that allow it to escape hepatic clearance and thus to reach other target tissues than the liver. SemaPhore protects the RNA payload from degradation in the circulation and allows for rapid cellular uptake, while enabling pH-dependent nucleotide endosomal escape and cytoplasmic delivery. Effective delivery of mRNA and positive treatment outcomes have been demonstrated in various murine models of disease, including osteoarthritis (WNT16 and DNMT3B), atherosclerosis (p27Kip1), aortic aneurysm (SOD2), and cancer (ZBTB46). About Altamira Therapeutics Altamira Therapeutics (Nasdaq:CYTO) is dedicated to developing RNA-based therapeutics for extrahepatic targets (OligoPhore™ / SemaPhore™ delivery platforms). The Company currently has two flagship siRNA programs in preclinical development beyond in vivo proof of concept: AM-401 for KRAS driven cancer and AM-411 for rheumatoid arthritis. The versatile delivery platform is also suited for mRNA and other types of RNA therapeutics and shall be leveraged via out-licensing to pharma or biotech companies. In addition, Altamira is in the process of divesting and/or licensing-out its legacy assets in allergology and viral infection (Bentrio® OTC nasal spray; commercial) and inner ear therapeutics (AM-125 nasal spray for vertigo; post Phase 2; Keyzilen® and Sonsuvi® for tinnitus and hearing loss; Phase 3). Founded in 2003, Altamira is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, with its main operations in Basel, Switzerland. For more information, visit: Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are statements other than historical facts and may include statements that address future operating, financial or business performance or Altamira Therapeutics' strategies or expectations. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as "may", "might", "will", "should", "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "estimates", "predicts", "projects", "potential", "outlook" or "continue", or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs and involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, developments and business decisions to differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the success of the continued commercialization of Bentrio and success of strategic transactions, including licensing or partnering, with respect to Bentrio or any other legacy assets, Altamira Therapeutics' need for and ability to raise substantial additional funding to continue the development of its product candidates, the timing and conduct of clinical trials of Altamira Therapeutics' product candidates, the clinical utility of Altamira Therapeutics' product candidates, the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals, Altamira Therapeutics' intellectual property position and Altamira Therapeutics' financial position, including the impact of any future acquisitions, dispositions, partnerships, license transactions or changes to Altamira Therapeutics' capital structure, including future securities offerings. These risks and uncertainties also include, but are not limited to, those described under the caption "Risk Factors" in Altamira Therapeutics' Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2021, and in Altamira Therapeutics' other filings with the SEC, which are available free of charge on the Securities Exchange Commission's website at: . Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated. All forward-looking statements and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to Altamira Therapeutics or to persons acting on behalf of Altamira Therapeutics are expressly qualified in their entirety by reference to these risks and uncertainties. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Altamira Therapeutics does not undertake any obligation to update them in light of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable law. Contact: Hear@altamiratherapeutics.com 800-460-0183 [1] See e.g. Kim et al. (2022), The potential of cell-penetrating peptides for mRNA delivery to cancer cells, Pharmaceutics 14:1271, ; Hou et al. (2021), Lipid nanoparticles for mRNA delivery, Nat Rev Mat 6:1078, [2] Gilleron et al. (2013), Image-based analysis of lipid nanoparticle-mediated siRNA delivery, intracellular trafficking and endosomal escape, Nat Biotechnol 31(7):638-46. SOURCE: Altamira Therapeutics View source version on accesswire.com: