WALTHAM, Mass., April 19, 2022 – Avilar Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company focused on extracellular protein degradation, today announced a scientific poster presentation highlighting ATACs (ASGPR-Targeting Chimeras) at the 5th annual Protein Degradation Using PROTACs & Molecular Glues meeting being held in San Diego, April 19-20. ATACs are a new class of degraders designed to degrade extracellular proteins,
ATACs are bi-functional molecules comprising a ligand that binds to a target protein, conjugated to a second ligand that binds to the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR). ATACs work by binding to and shuttling disease-causing proteins from circulation to the hepatocyte endolysosome, where the unwanted proteins are degraded. The presentation will highlight initial ATAC platform proof-of-concept studies with ATACs designed to target extracellular proteins with different concentration and kinetic properties. In vitro characterization of the ATAC interactions with ASGPR and the target proteins, including binding, cellular uptake, and degradation via the endolysosomal pathway, will be presented.
“With nearly 40% of proteins located outside the cell, and many having a clearly defined role in the pathogenesis of human diseases, the ability to target extracellular proteins for degradation is a major step forward for this powerful new drug modality,” said Effie Tozzo, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Avilar. “With our novel ATAC discovery platform that enables us to selectively degrade pathogenic extracellular proteins, we are creating new and innovative medicines to treat multiple serious diseases.”
Details of the poster presentation are as follows:
Presentation Title: ASGPR-Targeting Chimeras (ATACs): A New Class of Degraders for Targeting Extracellular Proteins
Authors: Srinivasa Karra, Alison Davis, Jessica Friedman, Ron de Jong, Jesse Chen, Kevin Lumb, Jason Wiles
Session Date: Tuesday, April 19 – Wednesday, April 20
About Avilar Therapeutics
Avilar Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company pioneering the discovery and development of extracellular protein degraders, a new frontier in targeted protein degradation. Avilar develops ATACs (ASGPR Targeting Chimeras), a new class of protein degraders that shuttle disease-causing proteins from circulation to the endolysosome where the unwanted proteins are degraded. Avilar has built a proprietary ATAC platform that includes novel, high-affinity, small molecule ASGPR ligands and advanced modeling of the biophysics, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of ATAC mediated endocytosis and degradation. The ATAC platform enables the modular design and synthesis of ATACs extendable across the extracellular proteome to a wide range of proteins involved in the pathogenesis of human diseases. Avilar is leveraging the ATAC platform to create a broad and diverse pipeline of first-in-class extracellular protein degraders. Avilar was founded and financed by RA Capital Management and based in Waltham, MA. For more information, please visit www.avilar-tx.com and follow us on Twitter @Avilar_Tx and on LinkedIn.
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