Business
XORTX Provides Corporate Update; Synopsis of 2020 Achievements and Key Activities for 2021
CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / January 19, 2021 / XORTX Therapeutics Inc. ("XORTX" or the "Compa...
About this update from Xortx Therapeutics, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"XORTX Provides Corporate Update; Synopsis of 2020 Achievements and Key Activities for 2021CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / January 19, 2021 / XORTX Therapeutics Inc. (\"XORTX\" or the \"Company\") (CSE:XRX) (OTCQB:XRTXF), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative therapies to treat progressive kidney disease, is pleased to provide a synopsis of 2020 achievements and guidance on key activities for 2021.2020 represented a pivotal year for XORTX and a year that provided several key milestones for the Company. The advent of the COVID crisis in March produced a worldwide impact on individuals and across a wide variety of industries. Presented with this new challenge XORTX undertook an internal strategic assessment of programs. Simultaneously, our robust knowledge of the uric acid lowering agent class of drugs and more specifically xanthine oxidase inhibition (XOI) permitted a new focus on potential therapeutic solutions to treat and prevent Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) associated with COVID-19 infection. Additionally, an understanding of acute kidney pathology presented an opportunity to initiate development of therapeutic approaches to aid individuals infected with moderate to severe COVID-19 and accompanied by AKI.Key activities during 2020 resulted in the achievement of a number of important milestones including:February 2020 - XORTX completed fundraising of ~$2,500,000.March 2020 - XORTX filed a provisional patent focused on the treatment and prevention of the health consequences of COVID-19 infection, and specifically AKI.July 2020 - XORTX and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai entered into a research partnership to determine the role of high uric acid associated with AKI and other organ injury during COVID-19 infection. Preliminary data of hospitalized patients suggests high, early increased serum uric acid concentrations in these patients suggestive of AKI seen in \"tumor lysis syndrome\" observed in cancer patients.August through October 2020 - Pre-IND filing for XRx-101 led to positive FDA guidance on clinical program design for treatment and prevention of AKI in connection with COVID-19 infection.November 2020 - Topline results from Mount Sinai Research partnership revealed a concerning, prevalent, early increase in serum uric acid concentrations in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 infections. Early dose d...