Originally discovered and designed at Sunnybrook Research Institute at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, AV-001 is being developed by Vasomune Therapeutics, Inc. under a co-development agreement with AnGes, Inc. [TYO: 4563].

AV-001 is a novel investigational medicine that targets the Tie2 receptor, a transmembrane protein most highly expressed on the surface of endothelial cells in the vasculature. AV-001 activates the nonredundant Tie2-Angiopoietin signaling axis, and through stimulation of multiple downstream pathways normalizes the vasculature by enhancing endothelial cell stability, restoring normal barrier defense, and blocking vascular leak.

Vascular dysfunction contributes to the underlying disease pathophysiology in patients with COVID-19, influenza, bacterial sepsis, acute kidney injury, glaucoma, hemorrhagic shock, sepsis, stroke, and complications associated with diabetes. Importantly, in multiple pre-clinical studies, AV-001 tightened endothelial cell-cell junctions and promoted endothelial cell survival, which reduced pulmonary edema, and improved lung function compared to untreated controls translating into significantly improved survival.

About Vasomune Therapeutics, Inc.

Vasomune Therapeutics, Inc. is a private, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing the next generation of medicines to harness the body’s ability to defend against illness rooted in vascular dysfunction.

Founded in 2014, Vasomune discovers and develops drugs using a novel therapeutic approach focused on vascular normalization strategies. Vascular dysfunction is associated with the pathology of several disease states, including COVID-19, viral and bacterial-associated pneumonia, acute kidney injury, glaucoma, hemorrhagic shock, sepsis, stroke, and complications associated with diabetes. Vasomune’s corporate headquarters and laboratories are located in Toronto, Canada with US offices in Raleigh, NC. For more information about the company please visit www.vasomune.com.

About AnGes, Inc.

AnGes, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company founded in December 1999, focused on the development of gene-based medicines. In March 2019, AnGes obtained conditional and time-limited approval for its lead product, Collategene^® (Hepatocyte Growth Factor; HGF—plasmid gene therapy), for the treatment of lower limb ischemic ulcers. In September 2019, AnGes commenced commercialization in Japan of Collategene^®, the world’s first marketed drug using plasmid DNA. AnGes is currently working on the development of a Tie2 tyrosine kinase receptor agonist (AV-001) for COVID-19, viral and bacterial-associated pneumonia and an NF-κB decoy oligonucleotide for chronic discogenic lumbar back pain. Furthermore, AnGes acquired EmendoBio in December 2020 to expand its capabilities in genome-editing technologies. For more information, visit https://www.anges.co.jp/en/.