Pipelines
Our Microbiome Determines balanced health
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Cancer Immunotherapy
Using extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by the bacteria naturally found in our body, we are developing immunotherapy drug pipelines to treat a variety of cancers such as lung, olorectal, and gastric cancer.
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Central Nervous System (CNS) Disease
While CNS diseases have been extensively linked to microbiome activity, unlike bacteria, our microbial EV-based drug pipelines can travel directly to the brain to provide potent therapeutic effect.
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Metabolic Disease.
Akkermansia municiphila and other bacteria have shown tremendous promise in the treatment of metabolic disease and we are developing our own effective EV- based metabolic disease drug pipelines.
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Allergy & Respiratory Disease
Treatment with certain microbial EVs can reduce airway and skin inflammation and other symptoms associated with diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD), chronic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis.
Cancer Immunotherapy
Paradigm Shift in Cancer Therapeutics
Therapeutic Method:
Cytotoxic Agents (~1990) →
Targeted Therapy (~2010) →
Cancer Immunotherapy (2010~)
Cancer Immunotherapeutic:
PD1 blockage → microbial
extracellular vesicles (EVs)
Next-Generation Cancer Immunotherapeutic: Microbial EVs
- 1. New immunological targets: Targeting NK/IFN-g and MDSC (myeloid-derived suppressor cell) rather than T cells.
- 2. Modulation of metabolic dysfunction : Aim to modulate aerobic glycolysis and arginine depletion that leads to immune evasion
- 3. No toxicity: Safe and natural substances
- 4. Reasonable cost: No need for antibodies
- 5. Synergy with current immunotherapy
Mechanism of Action (MoA)
- 1. Tumor Microenvironment
MD Healthcare cancer immunotherapy drug candidate MDH-001 inhibits inflammation in normal cells while selectively inducing apoptosis in cancer cells via ER stress pathway augmentation in the tumor microenvironment.
- 2. Tumor Macroenvironment
MD Healthcare cancer immunotherapy drug candidates such as MDH-203 induces cancer cell death, MDSC reduction, and ultimately immune homeostasis to treat cancer at the tumor macroenvironmental level.
Cancer Immunotherapy Pipeline
As of Aug. 2019
Central Nervous System (CNS) Disease
Brain Drug Delivery Issue
Due to the strength and high selectivity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), it is very challenging to deliver therapeutic agent to the brain for the treatment of CNS diseases such as Alzheimer’s, autism, and depression.
Microbial EVs Migrate to the Brain
Brain delivery of MDH-204
Oral delivery of the nano-sized microbial EV drug candidate MDH-204 proved that microbial EVs can pass the BBB and migrate directly to the brain to act on CNS diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD)
CNS Disease Pipeline Summary
As of Aug. 2019
Metabolic Disease
Mucin-degrading Bacteria
The mucin-degrading bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila has emerged recently as a new treatment for a wide variety of metabolic diseases including obesity and diabetes (ref). However, as A. muciniphila is an extremely anaerobic bacteria that cannot survive exposure to oxygen, it is very challenging to use the bacterium itself as a drug. Therefore, microbial EVs isolated from A. muciniphila can provide therapeutic effects without the issue of oxygen exposure its parent cell faces.
Novel Mechanism of Action (MoA)
AMPK phosphorylation of MDH-301
MD Healthcare’s mucin-degrading microbial EV drug candidate, MDH-301, has a therapeutic effect on obesity and diabetes through regulation of intestinal permeability and metabolic function via AMPK phosphorylation.
Metabolic Disease Pipeline Summary
As of Aug. 2019
Allergy & Respiratory Disease
Current Understanding of Disease Development
Susceptible genes and environmental factors cause immune dysfunction that can lead to chronic inflammation resulting in allergies, asthma, COPD, and lung cancer. Therefore, we are developing a microbial EV drug pipeline targeting immune modulation for the treatment of allergy and respiratory diseases
Novel Mechanism of Action (MoA)
Inflammatory Signal Disruption of MDH-101
Inflammatory agents in the airway cause neutrophilic inflammation that leads to alveolar destruction and fibrosis that precede emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Interaction of inhaled MDH-101 with airway epithelial cells leads to interference of this inflammatory signaling and symptom mitigation.
Allergy & Respiratory Disease Pipeline Summary
As of Aug. 2019
