Metablok

TORONTO, July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arch Biopartners Inc. (“Arch” or the “Company”) (TSX Venture: ARCH and OTCQB: ACHFF) announced today that the investigator-led Phase II trial titled “Prevention Of NephroToxin Induced Acute Kidney Injury with Cilastatin” (PONTIAK) has commenced patient recruitment at its primary clinical sites in Alberta, Canada. The Phase II PONTIAK study aims to evaluate the efficacy of cilastatin in preventing AKI associated with nephrotoxic pharmaceuticals, which include commonly used drugs such as antibiotics, chemotherapy agents, and imaging dyes, some of which are known to cause kidney damage as a side effect. The trial plans to enrol approximately 698 patients in five hospital sites in Alberta. The PONTIAK clinical team, based at the Universities of Calgary and Alberta, secured $1.5 million in funding for the Phase II trial from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), along with $400,000 under the Accelerating Clinical Trials (ACT) initiative aimed at evaluating Canadian biotechnologies using randomized controlled trials. Arch Biopartners recently manufactured the first-ever, stand-alone cilastatin drug product and has provided the drug supply for the trial. While the trial is investigator-led and independently funded, the Company is also evaluating opportunities to support a complementary arm of the study in another jurisdiction, such as the United States under an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Quote from Richard Muruve, CEO, Arch Biopartners: “Congratulations to the PONTIAK team for achieving this milestone and beginning patient enrolment. This marks an important advancement in evaluating cilastatin as a potential first-in-class treatment to prevent AKI caused by exogenous toxins from several commonly used pharmaceutical products.” About AKI AKI reflects a broad spectrum of clinical presentations, ranging from mild injury to severe injury that may result in permanent and complete loss of renal function. Clinically, the causes of AKI include sepsis, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and various endogenous as well as exogenous (drug) toxins. There is no specific therapeutic treatment available on the market that prevents AKI. In the worst cases, the kidneys fail, requiring dialysis or kidney transplantation for patient survival. Drug toxins cause approximately 30% of AKI cases in hospitalized patients and include a wide range of pharmaceutical drugs such as antibiotics (vancomycin, aminoglycosides), chemotherapeutic agents, and radiographic contrast. Additionally, AKI related to cardiac surgery (CS-AKI) accounts for up to 20% of in-hospital AKI cases. About Cilastatin Cilastatin was originally developed in the early 1980s by Merck Sharp & Dohme Research Laboratories to limit the role of dipeptidase-1 (DPEP1) in the breakdown of imipenem, a β-lactam antibiotic used for the treatment of systemic infections. Cilastatin was approved for use as a fixed combination with imipenem to treat different types of bacterial infections. This fixed combination, approved by the FDA in 1985, is currently marketed under different names, including Primaxin® (USA, UK, Australia, Italy), Tienam® (Spain, Belgium), or Zienam® (Germany). Composition of matter patents for imipenem and cilastatin have expired, and the combination drug is currently in a generic phase. There is no commercial history of cilastatin as a stand-alone drug product. Cilastatin has a slightly different mechanism of action compared with Arch’s novel drug candidate, LSALT peptide (Metablok), a non-enzymatic DPEP1 inhibitor. Whereas LSALT peptide specifically blocks DPEP1-mediated inflammation in the kidney, lungs, and liver, cilastatin has off-target effects that prevent toxin uptake in the kidneys. As such, cilastatin is particularly effective for toxin-related AKI. Arch Biopartners owns and has exclusively licensed method-of-use patents to repurpose cilastatin as a new treatment targeting AKI. The PONTIAK Phase II clinical trial is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT06886464. About Arch Biopartners Arch Biopartners Inc. is a late-stage clinical trial company focused on preventing acute kidney injury and organ damage caused by inflammation. The Company is developing a platform of novel drugs targeting the dipeptidase-1 (DPEP1) inflammation pathway prevalent in the kidneys, lungs, and liver. LSALT peptide and cilastatin are lead drug candidates in separate Phase II trials targeting acute kidney injury caused by inflammation and toxins, respectively. Both indications represent significant unmet medical needs in global kidney care. For more science details: www.archbiopartners.com/our-science For investor materials and filings: www.archbiopartners.com/investor-hub The Company has 65,906,366 common shares outstanding. For more information, please contact: Aaron BensonDirector of CommunicationsArch Biopartners, Inc. 647-428-7031Send a message using the Contact Form at: www.archbiopartners.com/contact-us Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws regarding expectations of our future performance, liquidity and capital resources, as well as the ongoing clinical development of our drug candidates targeting the dipeptidase-1 (DPEP-1) pathway, including the outcome of our clinical trials relating to LSALT peptide (Metablok) or cilastatin, the successful commercialization and marketing of our drug candidates, whether we will receive, and the timing and costs of obtaining, regulatory approvals in Canada, the United States, Europe and other countries, our ability to raise capital to fund our business plans, the efficacy of our drug candidates compared to the drug candidates developed by our competitors, our ability to retain and attract key management personnel, and the breadth of, and our ability to protect, our intellectual property portfolio. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs, including certain factors and assumptions, as described in our most recent annual audited financial statements and related management discussion and analysis under the heading “Business Risks and Uncertainties”. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, or other unknown risks and uncertainties, our actual results may differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. The words “believe”, “may”, “plan”, “will”, “estimate”, “continue”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “expect” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. We undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Additional information relating to Arch Biopartners Inc., including our most recent annual audited financial statements, is available by accessing the Canadian Securities Administrators’ System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (“SEDAR”) website at www.sedarplus.ca . The scientific and medical content in this release has been approved by the Company’s Chief Science Officer Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release

TORONTO, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arch Biopartners Inc., (“Arch” or the “Company”) (TSX Venture: ARCH and OTCQB: ACHFF), announced today that the University Health Network (UHN) Research Ethics Board has granted approval for Toronto General Hospital to participate in the Company’s ongoing Phase II trial evaluating LSALT peptide for the prevention and treatment of cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CS-AKI). With this ethics approval in place and all training and preparations complete, the clinical team at Toronto General Hospital (TGH) is now cleared to begin patient recruitment. TGH will be the seventh site to be activated globally and the second site to recruit patients in Canada.Quote from Mr. Richard Muruve, CEO Arch Biopartners: “​We are pleased to receive ethics approval from the UHN Research Ethics Board and to initiate patient recruitment at Toronto General Hospital for our CS-AKI Phase II trial. Going forward, we plan to reduce recruitment in Turkey and increase recruitment in Canada to broaden the geographic and demographic data of our trial.” About the CS-AKI Phase II Trial The CS-AKI Phase II trial is an international multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of LSALT peptide with a recruitment target of 240 patients. The primary objective of the trial is to evaluate the percentage of subjects with acute kidney injury (AKI) within seven days following on-pump (heart-lung machine) cardiac surgery, defined by the KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) criteria. Details of the Phase II trial, entitled “Phase 2 Global, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of LSALT peptide for the Prevention or Attenuation of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) in Patients Undergoing On-Pump Cardiac Surgery” can be viewed at clinicaltrials.gov. CS-AKI and LSALT peptide CS-AKI is often caused by ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) that reduces blood flow (ischemia) and thus oxygen in the kidney, causing kidney cell damage. Once blood flow is restored to normal (reperfusion), inflammation is triggered and injury to kidney cells is exacerbated. There is no therapeutic treatment available in the market today that prevents acute kidney injury of the type commonly experienced by on-pump cardiac surgery patients. In the worst cases of AKI, the kidneys fail, requiring kidney dialysis or kidney transplant for survival. LSALT peptide is the Company’s lead drug candidate for preventing and treating inflammation injury in the kidneys, lungs, and liver. The drug targets the dipeptidase-1 (DPEP1) pathway and has been shown by Arch scientists and their collaborators to prevent IRI to the kidneys in pre-clinical models (video), providing the scientific rationale for Arch to use LSALT peptide in this CS-AKI trial. Details of their findings were published in the journal, Science Advances, titled “Dipeptidase-1 governs renal inflammation during ischemia reperfusion injury” by Lau et. al. and can be found along with the latest peer-reviewed publications about DPEP1 and LSALT peptide at the Company’s website. Incidence of CS-AKI Acute kidney injury is a known common complication in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and other cardiac surgeries, including on-pump surgeries, which increase the risk of AKI. The reported prevalence of CS-AKI is up to 30% and is independently associated with an increase in morbidity and mortality. About Arch Biopartners Arch Biopartners Inc. is a late-stage clinical trial company focused on preventing acute kidney injury (AKI) and organ damage caused by inflammation and toxins. The Company is advancing a pipeline of drug candidates that includes LSALT peptide, a first-in-class inhibitor of the DPEP1 inflammation pathway, and cilastatin, a repurposed drug with off-target effects that help block toxin uptake into the kidneys – two approaches addressing distinct and urgent causes of AKI. For more information on Arch Biopartners’ science and drug platform, please visit: www.archbiopartners.com/our-science For investor information and other public documents the company has also filed on SEDAR+, please visit www.archbiopartners.com/investor-hub The Company has 65,906,366 common shares outstanding. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws regarding expectations of our future performance, liquidity and capital resources, as well as the ongoing clinical development of our drug candidates targeting the dipeptidase-1 (DPEP-1) pathway, including the outcome of our clinical trials relating to LSALT peptide (Metablok) or cilastatin, the successful commercialization and marketing of our drug candidates, whether we will receive, and the timing and costs of obtaining, regulatory approvals in Canada, the United States, Europe and other countries, our ability to raise capital to fund our business plans, the efficacy of our drug candidates compared to the drug candidates developed by our competitors, our ability to retain and attract key management personnel, and the breadth of, and our ability to protect, our intellectual property portfolio. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs, including certain factors and assumptions, as described in our most recent annual audited financial statements and related management discussion and analysis under the heading “Business Risks and Uncertainties”. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, or other unknown risks and uncertainties, our actual results may differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. The words “believe”, “may”, “plan”, “will”, “estimate”, “continue”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “expect” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. We undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Additional information relating to Arch Biopartners Inc., including our most recent annual audited financial statements, is available by accessing the Canadian Securities Administrators’ System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (“SEDAR”) website at www.sedarplus.ca . The science and medical contents of this release have been approved by the Company’s Chief Science Officer Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release For more information, please contact: Richard Muruve Chief Executive Officer Arch Biopartners, Inc. 647-428-7031 info@archbiopartners.com