MAX BioPharma and Metaba Announce Collaboration on Metabolomics Studies

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today MAX BioPharma, Inc. (www.maxbiopharma.com) and Metaba, LLC (www.metaba.us) announced their collaboration in studying the effects of oxysterol drug candidates that target non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), chronic inflammation, and atherosclerosis on metabolic processes using Metaba’s state of the art metabolomics platform technology. The two companies will employ their unique expertise and assets to identify changes in metabolites induced by oxysterols that may not only further evaluate the mechanism of action for their therapeutic effects, but also identify potential biomarkers for assessment of the efficacy of the compounds or as diagnostic and prognostic tools. 

“We are extremely excited about this important collaboration between our companies and scientists that will empower MAX BioPharma in its R&D efforts to develop novel drugs for some of the most debilitating and fatal diseases in humans, especially NASH that currently has no FDA approved therapies, IPF that is only modestly affected by the existing FDA approved drugs, and cardiovascular diseases that remain a huge problem despite the use of cholesterol lowering drugs and lifestyle changes. In addition, as we pursue our goals in developing novel drugs, it is imperative that we also find less invasive ways to assess their efficacy both in preclinical models of the diseases and in future human clinical trials” says Farhad Parhami, President and CEO of MAX BioPharma. Dr. Parhami will be presenting the company’s recent developments at the 2024 Biocom Global Partnering & Venture Conference that will take place from February 27^th-29^th in La Jolla, California.

Philip Sell, CEO of Metaba explains: “Metabolomics is a powerful research tool. It fills in the missing gap to complete the multi-omics approach to research and is widely applicable to studying diverse biological systems. Our platform can aid development efforts by helping our scientists to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis, disease progression, therapeutic action, adjunctive targets, and novel diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers. We are enthusiastic about our collaboration with MAX BioPharma and the value that we can add to their already impressive therapeutic development programs. Our companies synergize elegantly with the unique expertise that each brings to the table. We look forward to combining our efforts to make an impact on debilitating diseases and ultimately improving the patient experience.”

About MAX BioPharma, Inc.

MAX BioPharma is a privately held preclinical stage California-based biopharmaceutical company developing novel lipid molecules as drug candidates for debilitating and fatal human diseases. The company has created the Oxysterol Therapeutics^® platform, which is applicable across numerous therapeutic indications, and is leveraging a robust and growing intellectual property portfolio. MAX BioPharma’s first entry into this area was through the discovery of novel osteogenic oxysterol compounds that target multipotent mesenchymal cells, including mesenchymal stem cells, to induce the formation of bone-forming osteoblasts and bone. The company is translating this technology into the next generation of therapeutic agents for stimulation of bone formation, locally and systemically, in indications such as spinal fusion, non-union fractures, and osteoporosis. MAX BioPharma is also pursuing the development of orally bioavailable small molecule oxysterols that function as anti-tumorigenic Hedgehog and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß) pathway antagonists that will be more effective than currently known antagonists in treating a variety of cancers, including lung, blood and pancreatic cancer, as well as fibrotic diseases of liver, lung, and kidney, in addition to those that have antiviral activity against hepatitis B and C viruses and coronaviruses. For more information, please visit us at www.maxbiopharma.com

About Metaba, LLC.

Metaba is a privately held biotechnology company based in Santa Monica, California. Metaba has created a novel drug discovery platform that combines a high-powered metabolomics analysis pipeline with computer aided drug design methods to expedite preclinical research and development timelines. Metaba was originally founded to develop an adjunctive therapeutic for treatment of tuberculosis (TB). Building upon the methodological approach that their scientists used to identify a novel drug target in TB and their expertise in metabolomics, the platform was born. Metaba has since expanded their capabilities to address several other indications for drug development including nontuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM), immune response to viral infection (Influenza and Covid-19), metabolism of new drugs, and enhancing multiple development programs of MAX BioPharma. The company has focused on developing novel small molecules as drug candidates and is also interested in exploring use cases of its novel metabolomics analysis platform. For more information, please visit us at www.metaba.us

Media Contacts:
Farhad Parhami
fparhami@maxbiopharma.com
Philip Sell
phil@metaba.us

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SOURCE MAX BioPharma