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Tenax Therapeutics, Inc. Announces Transformative Acquisition of PH Precision Med
Expands pipeline into Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH), a progressive, fatal orphan disease without a cure Imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI),
About this update from Tenax Therapeutics, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\nExpands pipeline into Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH), a progressive, fatal orphan disease without a cure\n\n\nImatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), has been shown to block critical disease promoting pathways and has demonstrated improved exercise capacity and hemodynamics in patients with advanced PAH\n\n\nAcquisition strengthens leadership team with appointment of Dr. Stuart Rich as Chief Medical Officer\n\n\n MORRISVILLE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nTenax Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: TENX), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on identifying, developing, and commercializing products for the critical care market, today announced the acquisition of PH Precision Med (PHPM), a privately-held clinical stage biotech company focused on developing imatinib for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The FDA has granted Orphan Drug Designation for imatinib for the treatment of PAH, an indication with a high unmet medical need.\n\nThe acquisition expands Tenax’s pulmonary hypertension pipeline with the addition of imatinib, a Phase 3 ready candidate. Imatinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that transformed the treatment of cancer by blocking the underlying pathways resulting in long lasting remissions. Subsequent preclinical and clinical studies in PAH indicate that imatinib may provide antiproliferative and disease-modifying effects in PAH patients through its ability to inhibit several growth factors including platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). PDGF regulates vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation in PAH and is thought to be associated with the disease progression. Multiple clinical studies of imatinib in PAH patients provide convincing evidence that imatinib can provide impressive improvements in exercise capacity and hemodynamics in patients with advanced PAH. The strong efficacy results from these trials, combined with imatinib’s antiproliferative mechanism action, have raised the possibility that imatinib may work by modifying the underlying PAH disease process. Pursuant to the acquisition, Tenax’s clincial development plan includes advancing a delayed release oral formulation of imatinib, designed to avoid the gastric irritation, into a single pivotal trial pursuant to the 505(b)(2) pathway.\n\n“The acquisition of PHPM immediately expands Tenax’s pipeline to include a second de-ris...