ZyVersa’s Cholesterol Efflux Mediator VAR 200 is currently in Phase 2a development to reduce renal cholesterol and lipid accumulation in patients with glomerular diseases, including diabetic kidney disease, among others
VAR 200 to treat inflammatory and renal diseases. (Credit: Robina Weermeijer on Unsplash)
ZyVersa secures European patent for VAR 200 to treat inflammatory and renal diseases
ZyVersa’s Cholesterol Efflux Mediator VAR 200 is currently in Phase 2a development to reduce renal cholesterol and lipid accumulation in patients with glomerular diseases, including diabetic kidney disease, among others
ZyVersa Therapeutics has secured a patent from the European Patent Office, covering the company’s lead candidate Cholesterol Efflux Mediator VAR 200 (2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin).
The patent allows the speciality biopharmaceutical company’s Phase 2a-ready drug for use in inflammatory and renal diseases, such as diabetic nephropathy/diabetic kidney disease.
VAR 200 was developed by the University of Miami Katz family division of nephrology and hypertension chief and Peggy and Harold Katz drug discovery centre director, professor of medicine Alessia Fornoni.
L&F Research, founded by Dr Fornoni and others, has granted ZyVersa an exclusive, worldwide, license for the development and commercialization of VAR 200.
ZyVersa co-founder, chairman, CEO, and president Stephen Glover said: “Approval of this patent claiming our Cholesterol Efflux Mediator VAR 200 for use in treating diabetic kidney disease speaks to the innovative and important research conducted by Dr Fornoni and her team involving removal of excess cholesterol and lipids that damage the kidneys’ filtration system. There are no therapeutic options available that address this issue.
“Strengthening our intellectual property portfolio for VAR 200 and expanding our patent protection and exclusive rights into additional geographic regions will further enable ZyVersa to increase shareholder value as VAR 200 advances into clinical trials, which are planned for initiation in the fourth quarter of this year.”
Cholesterol Efflux Mediator VAR 200 is a phase 2a-ready drug in development to ameliorate renal lipid accumulation that damages the kidneys’ filtration system, leading to kidney disease progression.
The VAR 200 is designed to passively and actively remove excess lipids from the kidney.
In the preclinical studies, VAR 200 has been shown to remove excess cholesterol and lipids from kidney podocytes, in animal models of FSGS, Alport syndrome, and diabetic kidney disease.
The drug also protects against structural damage and reduces the excretion of protein in the urine (proteinuria).
VAR 200 is primarily indicated for orphan kidney disease focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), and can also treat orphan Alport syndrome and diabetic kidney disease.