Nature Communications Publishes Pivotal Data From Albatroz Therapeutics Demonstrating That Inhibiting Calnexin Alleviates Arthritis Symptoms and May Reverse Disease Progression

• Study uncovers insights about the progression of arthritis, the leading cause of disability which affects 1 in 5 adults and more than half of seniors age 75+
• Publication demonstrates a novel therapeutic approach targeting Calnexin that may prevent cartilage loss and protect the joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis

/EIN News/ -- SINGAPORE, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Albatroz Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing novel therapeutics against cancer and inflammatory diseases, today announced that Nature Communications has published its findings that anti-Calnexin antibodies block a key hallmark in osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and have first-in-class therapeutic potential in a disease for which there is no existing cure.

“Arthritis is very prevalent, especially in seniors, and incredibly destructive, but current treatment options are limited to pain relief,” said Frederic Bard, CEO of Albatroz Therapeutics. “This publication is an important recognition of the first-in-class therapeutics we are developing that reduce cartilage degradation and could offer a protective effect against a broad range of arthritic diseases.”

The study was conducted with researchers from Roche’s Pharma Research & Early Development (pRED) Innovation Center in Basel, Switzerland; Singapore’s Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB); Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH); and Cancer Research Center of Marseille (CRCM), and highlights the potential of a novel target inhibitor as a therapeutic strategy for arthritis.

“We are dedicated to advancing the understanding of autoimmune diseases and developing innovative treatments," said Virginie Sandrin, Senior Principal Scientist and Project Team Leader at Roche, who co-authored the paper. "This research project with Albatroz Therapeutics revealed a novel mechanism involved in the pathogenesis of arthritis, and we are eager to continue exploring the potential of this novel target to transform the lives of patients."

“Albatroz Therapeutics is a pioneer in the study of Calnexin inhibitors and continues to lead the industry with its growing body of Calnexin research in arthritis, other inflammatory diseases, and oncology,” said Christopher Tan, partner at Outram Bio. “We are thrilled to see Albatroz continue to receive external validation through this publication, having previously been named Winner of the first Amgen Golden Ticket in Singapore and accepted as a member of Johnson & Johnson Innovation’s JLABS Singapore.”

About the publication

This publication explores the cause of the key pathological feature of early stage osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA): the breakdown of cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM), which leads to the loss of cells that synthesize and maintain cartilage.

The publication reveals the link between O-glycosylation in synovial fibroblasts and cartilage degradation in arthritis. In particular, one of the glycosylation targets—Calnexin—is exported to the cell surface of arthritic synovial fibroblasts, where it then conducts cartilage destruction. The study then demonstrates that anti-calnexin antibodies block this process in animals, and that this therapeutic approach has the potential to prevent cartilage loss and protect the joints in patients with either rheumatoid or osteoarthritis.

About Albatroz Therapeutics

Albatroz Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing first-in-class antibody therapeutics to treat solid tumours and inflammatory disorders. The novel technology was developed by the founders’ team at the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, part of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore. Albatroz leverages its deep scientific expertise to identify and target critical pathways involved in tissue remodelling, and is committed to translating cutting-edge research into effective therapies that improve the lives of patients. For more information, please visit www.albatroztherapeutics.com

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