Avalon GloboCare achieves major milestones in immunotherapeutic program to combat coronavirus

Avalon GloboCare Corp (NASDAQ:AVCO) revealed Monday that it has achieved “significant milestones” in advancing its immunotherapeutic AVA-Trap technology program towards combatting the cytokine storm associated with coronavirus (COVID-19) lung damage and mortality. As previously announced, cell therapy-focused Avalon initiated a sponsored research and co-development project with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), led by Professor Shuguang Zhang as principal investigator in May last year. The company said it has completed functional studies of six QTY code designed cytokine receptors as a “molecular mop” to remove excessive cytokines related to coronavirus infection and cellular immunotherapy. “Using the unique QTY code protein design platform, six water-soluble variant cytokine receptors have been successfully designed and tested to show binding affinity to the respective cytokines,” said the company in a statement.    Cytokines are small protein molecules in the body required to help fight bacteria, viruses and other invading organisms. However, in many conditions, including cancer, and autoimmune diseases, cytokines are released in vast excess — which is also known as a cytokine storm — leading to devastating damage to vital tissues and organs. A prime example is the coronavirus-induced cytokine storm, which often leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), lung fibrosis, multi-organ failure and death. READ: Avalon GloboCare unveils strategic tie-up with China (Nanjing) Cell Valley to form major regional hub for CellTech Industry The Freehold, New Jersey-based company’s AVA-Trap therapeutic program is currently entering animal model testing followed by “expedited clinical studies” with the goal of providing an effective therapeutic option to “combat COVID-19 and other life-threatening conditions” involving cytokine storms, said the company. Avalon believes it is well equipped to advance this work, armed with a $20 million credit facility recently provided by the chairman of the board. A scientific manuscript reporting the work has been accepted for publication by the QRB Discovery journal brought out by the Cambridge University Press, said the company. Additionally, Avalon and the MIT team led by Professor Shuguang Zhang have jointly filed three provisional patents —  USPTO filing numbers: 62994433, 63002661, 63002666 — with Avalon CEO Dr David Jin named as co-inventor. Avalon also said it has launched a “Combat COVID-19” taskforce led by Dr Jin and director and former Congressman Billy Tauzin to accelerate clinical programs leveraging the company’s extensive expertise in cellular immunotherapy, stem cell technology and in-vitro diagnostics. In addition to the AVA-Trap therapeutic program, Avalon has initiated diagnostic and immuno-protection programs targeting COVID-19 and its mutated strains. Dr Jin said “an overactive cytokine response,” is directly associated with “increased mortality.” “We have been studying and developing therapies for these cytokine storms long before COVID-19, as it relates to other illnesses and immunotherapies. We have applied this knowledge towards COVID-19, and believe our AVA-Trap holds promise in addressing the most serious morbidities related to COVID-19, which in turn, holds the potential to reduce mortality rates,” said Dr Jin. “The fact that this innovative research has been accepted for publication in a leading industry journal further validates the work we are doing,” he added. The Avalon GloboCare boss emphasized that the company is ready to mobilize its resources and accelerate its clinical development on “multiple fronts” to help combat COVID-19 through a combination of “therapeutic, diagnostic and preventative approaches.” Contact the author Uttara Choudhury at uttara@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter: @UttaraProactive