Benzinga | Sep 30, 2020 07:29AM EDT

Axcella Highlights iScience Publication On 'Therapeutic Potential of Endogenous Metabolic Modulators (EMMs)'

iScience review paper details use of amino acids in medicine

Axcella focused on designing novel EMM compositions with the potential to tackle complex diseases; plans to advance lead candidates into later-stage clinical trials

Axcella (NASDAQ:AXLA), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering a new approach to treat complex diseases and improve health using endogenous metabolic modulator (EMM) compositions, today announced a new publication detailing the potential for the development of EMM compositions that simultaneously target multiple biological pathways and address unmet needs in a range of complex diseases. The publication in iScience is now available online.

Amino acids and related metabolites and precursors are a class of EMMs that have diverse biological functions. Entitled "Endogenous Metabolic Modulators: Emerging Therapeutic Potential of Amino Acids," the new publication reviews literature on the use of this EMM class to treat diseases, with a focus on single and combination agents targeted to a single biology.

"This manuscript sheds light on a wealth of clinical precedents demonstrating the ability to utilize single and simple combinations of EMMs to reprogram biological pathways," said Michael Hamill, Head of Research at Axcella and the publication's lead author. "It also describes how, utilizing a rational design approach, compositions of EMMs provide the potential for compounding multifactorial effects on a range of complex diseases."

Complex diseases, which tend to involve the dysregulation of a variety of underlying pathways and biologies, also are discussed in the publication. These diseases would be best addressed by safe multifactorial treatments rather than combination therapies that can raise the risk of drug-drug interactions and adverse effects.

Axcella's EMM compositions are designed to enable a comprehensive approach, with the potential to simultaneously and safely target multiple pathways underlying diseases and regulate biological processes to foster overall health.

"Individual EMMs have been utilized for decades to drive therapeutic activity with a well-established safety track record," said Bill Hinshaw, President and Chief Executive Officer of Axcella. "At Axcella, we are seeking to harness the full power of EMMs by developing multi-targeted agents with the potential to tackle complex diseases like non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and serious complications such as overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE). Each of our five clinical studies to date investigating multiple product candidates have generated positive results, validating our approach and providing us with confidence in our ability to address unmet needs for patients with a range of diseases. We look forward to furthering our leadership in EMMs as we advance our product candidates into later-stage clinical trials."