Potential Neuropathic Pain Treatment Shows Promise in Preclinical Tests

A non-opioid designer molecule for treating chronic neuropathic pain by calming hyperactive pain-sensing neurons in the peripheral nervous system has had promising results in a preclinical study conducted by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and the Burke Neurological Institute.

In the study, published Aug. 9 in the British Journal of Anaesthesia, the first-in-class drug conceptualized by lead author Dr. Gareth Tibbs was found to function according to its design at both the molecular level and as an apparently side-effect-free pain reliever in rats.

“With either a single dose or seven days of daily dosing, we saw a significant reversal of neuropathic pain signs in the rodents,” said co-senior author Dr. Dianna Willis, associate director of the Burke Neurological Institute and an assistant professor of neuroscience in the Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute at Weill Cornell Medicine. “We also observed no signs of cardiac side effects, sedation or addictiveness.”

“These are encouraging results, and if further preclinical studies go well, we’ll apply to begin an initial clinical trial,” said the study’s co-senior author Dr Peter Goldstein, a professor of anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine and an anesthesiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Neuropathic pain often arises from damage to neurons in the peripheral nervous system, the network of nerves outside of the brain, and is estimated to affect tens of millions of people worldwide. It is notoriously difficult to treat effectively: The current first-line therapies, including the antiepileptic gabapentin and the antidepressant duloxetine, don’t work well and have significant side effects. Opioid painkillers also are relatively ineffective against chronic neuropathic pain and have even worse potential side effects, including addiction and the risk of fatal poisoning.

The new approach arose from a fortuitous convergence of disparate lines of research and a tangential insight based on oceanography.

One critical early observation demonstrated that neuropathic pain arising from hyperexcitability of peripheral neurons is facilitated in part by an abnormal level of activity of a family of proteins, called HCN ion channels, that span the neurons’ cell membrane. HCN1 and HCN2 channels are now considered the most relevant targets for treating peripheral neuropathic pain, but realizing that promise is problematic. HCN2 channels are also widely expressed in heart tissues, and both HCN1 and HCN2 channels are found extensively in the brain. Thus, targeting HCN2, or targeting HCN1 with a drug that enters the brain, could cause significant cardiac or neurological side effects.

Separately, Dr. Goldstein’s group found that the anesthetic propofol, a safe and widely used drug that is commonly thought to act by enhancing the activity of a different class of ion channels called GABAA receptors that inhibit neuronal activity, was also an effective inhibitor of central HCN channels with a strong preference for HCN1.

Based on these discoveries, Dr. Tibbs hypothesized that if an appropriate chemical “anchor” could be tethered to propofol, the molecule would not only be excluded from the brain, but in the periphery it would also function as a “molecular bathysphere.” With the “anchor” trapped outside a cell, the tethered propofol would be free to “sink” into the cellular membrane of a peripheral nerve cell and silence the embedded HCN1 channels.

“In some ways it was a ridiculous idea, but what the current paper shows is that with the right group of collaborators, the ridiculous can become a reality,” said Dr. Tibbs, a senior research associate in anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine. “In so doing, we believe we have created a potential clinical anti-hyperalgesic, paving the way for developing an entire class of novel therapeutics that can be built to target any peripheral membrane-embedded protein of therapeutic interest.”

Based on work Drs. Tibbs and Goldstein published in 2013 and computational modeling and electrophysiological studies, the resultant novel drug, BP4L-18:1:1, has the right molecular properties to be an effective drug. Critically, tests in rodents of an oral formulation, suitable for delivery in pill form, demonstrated effectiveness against neuropathic pain, exclusion from the brain, and a good safety profile.

The project received vital seed funding from the Daedalus Fund for Innovation, a unique de-risking program of Weill Cornell Medicine Enterprise Innovation, as well as from Weill Cornell Medicine’s Department of Anesthesiology. The Cornell Center for Technology Licensing subsequently licensed BP4L-18:1:1 to Akelos, Inc., a development-stage biotech company spun off from Dr. Goldstein’s laboratory in 2018 with the assistance of Weill Cornell Medicine’s innovation ecosystem, to expedite the further development and commercialization of this novel technology.

“The results described in this high impact study exemplify the critical role played by the Daedalus Fund for Innovation, whose mission is to upgrade early-stage technologies and accelerate translation to the point at which they are considered partnership ready and attractive candidates for licensing and commercial development,” said Larry Schlossman, managing director of the Office of BioPharma Alliances and Research Collaborations, who launched and oversees the Daedalus Fund for Innovation. “We look forward to this asset achieving its next value inflection and progressing through each stage of development and commercialization.”

In addition to advancing BP4L-18:1:1 toward human clinical trials, with funding from the National Institutes of Health and Weill Cornell Medicine’s Department of Anesthesiology, Akelos and the research team are investigating strategies for more selectively and potently targeting HCN1 channels.

“Our BP4L-18:1:1 drug candidate has the potential to transform the treatment landscape for millions of people who live with chronic neuropathic pain,” said Akelos founder Dr. Steven Fox. “Unlike addictive narcotics, this molecule actually treats pain at its root cause without any damaging side effects. This milestone study demonstrates vital proof-of-concept and represents a burgeoning new frontier in therapeutics.”

Many Weill Cornell Medicine physicians and scientists maintain relationships and collaborate with external organizations to foster scientific innovation and provide expert guidance. The institution makes these disclosures public to ensure transparency. For this information, see profiles for Drs. Goldstein, Tibbs and Willis.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations and are subject to certain factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, outcomes of events, timing and performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements.

These statements include, among others, those related to: the results of research and development activities, uncertainties relating to preclinical and clinical testing, the cost, timing and outcome of the regulatory development and approval process, our budgets, expenditures and financing plans, our need for substantial additional funds, patent and intellectual property matters, our dependence on third parties, including contract research and contract clinical trial organizations, and market opportunity and competition.

The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.

Media contact:

Weill Cornell Medicine

Corinne Esposito

coe4003@med.cornell.edu

646-962-9547

Darryle D. Schoepp, Ph.D., Former Merck and Eli Lilly Executive, Joins Scientific Advisory Board of Akelos Inc., Biotechnology Company Developing Opioid Alternatives

NEW YORK, February 1, 2023 (Newswire.com) - Akelos Inc., a biotechnology company currently developing and commercializing a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain, adds Dr. Darryle D. Schoepp, Ph.D., former SVP, Neuroscience Research Head at Merck and Co., to the Akelos Strategic Advisory Board. Dr. Schoepp joins a prestigious group of advisors at Akelos Inc., which includes Thomas Daschle - Former Senate Majority Leader and Michael Levitt, Ph.D. - a Nobel Prize winner in chemistry.

Dr. Schoepp recently retired from Merck after 30 years in the pharmaceutical industry. In his most recent role at Merck, he built a pipeline of innovative first-in-class agents for Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, pain/migraine, and schizophrenia. Prior to this, he was VP, Neuroscience Delivery Research at Eli Lilly and Co. where he was a co-discoverer of the compound LY246736 (alvimopan/Entereg(®) a first-in-class peripherally restricted opioid antagonist for post-operative ileus. Dr. Schoepp was the recipient of the 2002 Pharmacia / ASPET Award for Experimental Therapeutics and 2007 Ray Fuller / ASPET Lecturer in Neurosciences in recognition of translational pharmacology work focused on glutamate receptors. He is also a member of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Blueprint Neurotherapeutic Network External Oversight Board.

Dr. Schoepp received his bachelor's degree in Pharmacy from North Dakota State University and his doctoral degree in Pharmacology and Toxicology from West Virginia University.

"We are thrilled to have Dr. Schoepp join our Scientific Advisory Board. As a scientist with over 200 publications (>19,000 citations) and an inventor of 15 US patents, his involvement will elevate our team and raise awareness around the importance of what Akelos is trying to achieve," said Akelos Founder Dr. Steven Fox.

He continued, "We will be relentless until we have commercialized a novel, non-opioid drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain. Dr. Schoepp's involvement marks an important next step in achieving this near-term goal."

"Having Darryle on the Scientific Advisory Board adds additional deep expertise in the drug development space to an already outstanding group of experts," said Dr. Peter Goldstein, Akelos scientific co-founder and Professor of Anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine. "His leadership in developing Entereg® (alvimopan), a peripherally acting mu-receptor antagonist, dovetails perfectly with our efforts in developing a peripherally restricted HCN1 inhibitor, and we are delighted to have him join us."

Dr. Goldstein is a scientific advisory board member of Akelos, Inc. 

Akelos Inc. is dedicated to developing and commercializing a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain, and has entered into a research collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine aimed at advancing the underlying science.

For more information, please contact:
Akelos Inc.
Dr. Steven Fox, CEO
212-953-1544
drstevefox@aol.com

About Akelos Inc. Akelos Inc. is a biopharmaceutical clinical company focused on the translation of innovative science into treatment. The company currently is developing novel non-narcotic drugs for the treatment of neuropathic pain. The goal of Akelos is to address some of today's most pressing areas of unmet needs.

Forward-Looking Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations and are subject to certain factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, outcomes of events, timing and performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These statements include, among others, those related to: the results of research and development activities, uncertainties relating to preclinical and clinical testing, the cost, timing and outcome of the regulatory development and approval process, our budgets, expenditures and financing plans, our need for substantial additional funds, patent and intellectual property matters, our dependence on third parties, including contract research and contract clinical trial organizations, and market opportunity and competition. The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.

Akelos Inc. Receives Prestigious Grant From NINDS of the National Institute of Health

NEW YORK, October 26, 2022 (Newswire.com) - Akelos Inc. has been awarded a Phase I/II Fast-Track Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) of the National Institutes of Health. The grant, deriving from a highly competitive application and review process at the NINDS, will provide nearly $700,000 for Phase 1 (years 1-2). If the work reaches NIH benchmarks, Akelos may receive up to an additional $2.990 million for Phase II (years 3-5), with a total of up to $3.69 million to help the company accomplish its goal of developing a potent, non-opioid therapeutic for the treatment of peripheral sensory neuropathic pain.

Weill Cornell Medicine has received an STTR grant subaward, for which Dr. Peter Goldstein, a professor of anesthesiology and of anesthesiology in neuroscience at the Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute at Weill Cornell Medicine, is the principal investigator. Dr. Goldstein will work closely with co-investigator Dianna E. Willis, Ph.D., associate director of the Burke Neurological Institute, where she is also lab director of the Laboratory for Axonal and RNA Biology.

Akelos holds an exclusive, world-wide license to the IP from Weill Cornell Medicine surrounding this research. The research team has been conducting in vitro, in vivo, and in silico screens aimed at the identification of novel lead molecules to treat chronic pain without the risk of addiction. The goals of this project are to optimize the active pharmacophore component of the company's identified lead compound and use that novel molecule to create a new next-generation first-in-class drug for the treatment of peripheral neuropathic pain.

"We are grateful for the support provided by the NIH for our research and development effort," said Dr. Steven Fox, chairman of Akelos, Inc. "In addition to the financial support, this grant has been reviewed by world-class neurobiologists on the NINDS Review Committee, a robust validation of our unique approach to solving the unmet challenge of treating peripheral neuropathic pain. We look forward to the opportunity represented by this STTR funding to accelerate our path to testing a new, effective treatment for suffering patients."

As a member of Weill Cornell Medicine's Department of Anesthesiology, Dr. Goldstein received research funding from his department to develop the candidate therapy. Subsequently, he applied for and received funding to further advance and de-risk the technology from the institution's dedicated internal seed technology development program known as the Daedalus Fund for Innovation, part of Weill Cornell Medicine Enterprise Innovation, which aims to accelerate the development of new discoveries by providing funding on a competitive basis for critical path de-risking and proof-of-concept studies that are necessary to leverage commercial investment and partnering arrangements. In 2018, the institution, through Weill Cornell Medicine Enterprise Innovation, licensed the discovery to Akelos Inc. with the express purpose of maturing and commercializing the candidate therapy for clinical application.

Weill Cornell Medicine Enterprise Innovation accelerates the best of biomedical innovation to market, translating groundbreaking research into potentially transformational next-generation care. Enterprise Innovation provides a bridge between academic researchers and industry stakeholders, brokering engagements and alliances, engaging with and educating faculty and trainees about biotech commercialization and business development—which includes patenting, licensing, and marketing—and offering a full suite of entrepreneurship programming, education, mentoring, de-risking and gap funding opportunities and other resources. Weill Cornell Medicine Enterprise Innovation is comprised of the Center for Technology Licensing at Weill Cornell Medicine, the Office of BioPharma Research Alliances, the BioVenture eLabs and the Daedalus Fund for Innovation.

Dr. Goldstein is a scientific advisory board member of Akelos, Inc. For more information, please contact:

Akelos Inc.
Dr. Steven Fox, CEO
212-953-1544
drstevefox@akelosinc.com

Akelos Inc. Forward-Looking Statement: This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and are subject to certain factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, outcomes of events, timing and performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based. These statements include, among others, those related to: the results of research and development activities, uncertainties relating to preclinical and clinical testing, the cost, timing and outcome of the regulatory development and approval process, our budgets, expenditures and financing plans, our need for substantial additional funds, patent and intellectual property matters, our dependence on third parties, including contract research and contract clinical trial organizations; and market opportunity and competition.

The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.

Akelos Inc. is named one of the 29 Best New York City Biopharma Companies and Startups

Akelos Inc.'s SAB Member Co-Authors Paper Validating HCN1 as a Therapeutic Target for the Treatment of Peripheral Neuropathic Pain

NEW YORK, February 5, 2021 (Newswire.com) - Dr. Peter Goldstein, scientific co-founder of Akelos Inc., a biotechnology company currently developing and commercializing a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain, has just co-authored a review article in the peer-reviewed journal Current Neuropharmacology (doi: 10.2174/1570159X19666210119153047. Online ahead of print) that highlights the rationale for targeting HCN1 in sensory neurons for the treatment of peripheral neuropathic pain.

Dr. Goldstein, Professor of Anesthesiology, Professor of Anesthesiology in Neuroscience in the Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, and Associate Professor of Medical Ethics in Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine (New York, NY) and senior author of the paper, observes: "Novel antihyperalgesics are urgently needed to provide pain relief and minimize disability without the attendant risks of existing therapies. A promising strategy for the development of novel antihyperalgesics is to target ion channels involved in nociception, including the "low-hanging" targets that control peripheral neuronal hyperexcitability. Our work, and that of others, clearly demonstrates that HCN1 channels are indeed such "low-hanging'' fruit."

Akelos Inc. is in a research collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine to develop and commercialize a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain. Dr. Goldstein is a scientific advisory board member of Akelos, Inc.

For more information, please contact: Akelos Inc.
Dr. Steven Fox, CEO
212-953-1544
drstevefox@akelosinc.com

Akelos Inc. Forward-Looking Statement: This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations and are subject to certain factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, outcomes of events, timing and performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based. These statements include, among others, those related to: the results of research and development activities, uncertainties relating to preclinical and clinical testing, the cost, timing and outcome of the regulatory development and approval process, our budgets, expenditures and financing plans, our need for substantial additional funds, patent and intellectual property matters, our dependence on third parties, including contract research and contract clinical trial organizations; and market opportunity and competition.

The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.

Akelos Inc.'s Lead Compound Achieves Preclinical Milestone

Akelos Inc., a biotechnology company currently developing and commercializing a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain, announces the lead compound AKE-1018 significantly reduces neuropathic pain in preclinical testing.

Following peripheral nerve injury, AKE-1018, when administered once daily, significantly reduced hypersensitivity to both mechanical and thermal noxious stimuli. This response was equivalent in both male and female adult rats and was seen as early as with a single dose. Furthermore, preliminary results indicate that AKE-1018 provides pain relief without affecting heart rate, blood pressure, motor strength/coordination, and is non-sedating, all supporting an excellent safety profile.

Dr. Dianna Willis, Co-Director of the Center for Pain and Sensory Recovery at the Burke Neurological Institute (White Plains, NY), Assistant Professor of Neuroscience in the Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute at Weill Cornell Medicine (New York, NY) and lead investigator on these studies, observed: "These results clearly validate the lead molecule as an effective approach to relieving neuropathic pain, which is notoriously difficult to treat. That it is a non-opiate only enhances its usefulness."

Akelos Inc. is in a research collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine to develop and commercialize a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain. Dr. Willis is a scientific advisory board member of Akelos, Inc.

For more information, please contact:

Akelos Inc.
Dr. Steven Fox, CEO
212-953-1544
drstevefox@aol.com

Akelos Inc. Forward-Looking Statement: This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and are subject to certain factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, outcomes of events, timing and performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based. These statements include, among others, those related to: the results of research and development activities, uncertainties relating to preclinical and clinical testing, the cost, timing and outcome of the regulatory development and approval process, our budgets, expenditures and financing plans, our need for substantial additional funds, patent and intellectual property matters, our dependence on third parties, including contract research and contract clinical trial organizations; and market opportunity and competition.

The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.

Akelos Inc.'s PCT International Patent Application, Licensed From Cornell University, Has Published

NEW YORK, February 3, 2020 (Newswire.com) - Akelos Inc., a biotechnology company currently developing and commercializing a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain, announced today that the PCT International Patent Application it has licensed from Cornell University has published.

The patent is WO2020006224A1, entitled "Substituted Alkylphenols as HCN1 Antagonists," invented by a team led by Dr. Peter Goldstein of Weill Cornell Medicine. This patent application describes and claims many novel anti-pain compounds including Akelos' present lead compound.

Akelos Inc. is in a research collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine to develop and commercialize a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain. Dr. Goldstein is a scientific founder and scientific advisory board member of Akelos, Inc.

For more information, please contact:

Akelos Inc.
Dr. Steven Fox, CEO
212-953-1544
drstevefox@aol.com

Akelos Inc. Forward-Looking Statement: This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and are subject to certain factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, outcomes of events, timing and performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based. These statements include, among others, those related to: the results of research and development activities, uncertainties relating to preclinical and clinical testing, the cost, timing and outcome of the regulatory development and approval process, our budgets, expenditures and financing plans, our need for substantial additional funds, patent and intellectual property matters, our dependence on third parties, including contract research and contract clinical trial organizations; and market opportunity and competition.

The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.

Thomas G. Heffner, Ph.D., Former Pfizer Executive, Joins Akelos Inc. as a Strategic Advisor; Akelos Inc. is a Biotechnology Company Developing Opioid Alternatives

NEW YORK, November 18, 2019 (Newswire.com) - Akelos Inc., a biotechnology company currently developing and commercializing a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain, adds Dr. Heffner, the former Executive Director of Neuroscience and Pain Business Development at Pfizer, as a Strategic Advisor. Dr. Heffner joins a prestigious group of advisors at Akelos Inc., which includes Thomas Daschle - Former Senate Majority Leader and Michael Levitt Ph.D. - a former Nobel prize winner in chemistry, among several others. Dr. Heffner recently retired from Pfizer after 35 years in the pharmaceutical industry. Most recently he was Executive Director of Neuroscience and Pain Business Development at Pfizer New York, where he led teams responsible for the scientific and business evaluation of collaborations and acquisitions. Prior to this, he was Head of Parke-Davis Neuroscience Discovery Ann Arbor, MI, and Cambridge, UK, and led groups that discovered multiple drug candidates including Lyrica (pregabalin) for Neuropathic Pain. After Pfizer acquired Parke-Davis, he co-led Pfizer Neuroscience Discovery and later was appointed Vice President and head of Pfizer Discovery Research in Japan. Before he joined Parke-Davis, Dr. Heffner was a faculty member in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Chicago. He obtained a Ph.D. in Biology at The University of Pittsburgh. He has been a member of the editorial boards of Psychopharmacology and The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and is a past president of the New York Pharma Forum. "We are thrilled to have Dr. Heffner joining our team as an advisor. His 35-year track record of developing and acquiring drugs focused on neuropathic pain space is unparalleled. We believe that his involvement will elevate our team and raise awareness around the importance of what Akelos is trying to achieve," said Akelos Founder, Dr. Steven Fox. He continued, "We will be relentless until we have commercialized a novel, non-opioid drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain. Dr. Heffner's involvement marks an important next step in achieving this near-term goal. Akelos Inc. is in a research collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine to develop and commercialize a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain.

For more information, please contact:
Akelos Inc.
Dr. Steven Fox, CEO
212-953-1544
drstevefox@aol.com

About Akelos Inc.
Akelos Inc. is a biopharmaceutical clinical company focused on the translation of innovative science into treatment. The company currently is developing novel non-narcotic drugs for the treatment of neuropathic pain. The goal of Akelos is to address some of today's most pressing areas of unmet needs.

Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations and are subject to certain factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, outcomes of events, timing and performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These statements include, among others, those related to: the results of research and development activities, uncertainties relating to preclinical and clinical testing, the cost, timing and outcome of the regulatory development and approval process, our budgets, expenditures and financing plans, our need for substantial additional funds, patent and intellectual property matters, our dependence on third parties, including contract research and contract clinical trial organizations, and market opportunity and competition.

The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.

Roger Frechette, Ph.D., Joins Akelos Inc., as Director of Operations & Business Development

NEW YORK, June 17, 2019 (Newswire.com) - ​​​​​​​​​​​Akelos Inc., a biotechnology company currently developing and commercializing a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain, adds Dr. Roger Frechette to its Executive Team as Director of Operations & Business Development.

Akelos inc., is in a research collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine to develop and commercialize a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain. The pre-clinical laboratory research that gave rise to Akelos Inc.'s underlying technology was enabled through prior support provided by Weill Cornell Medicine’s Daedalus Fund for Innovation, an “accelerator” type program that provides gap funding for select research projects at Weill Cornell Medicine with manifest commercial potential. Weill Cornell Medicine’s Office of BioPharma Alliances and Research Collaborations, which leads the Daedalus Fund for Innovation, catalyzed and negotiated the agreement with Akelos.

Dr. Frechette has 30 years of experience as a scientist, business leader and entrepreneur in the Bio-Pharmaceutical industry. He is the Co-Founder and Principal of New England PharmAssociates (NEPA), a life science operations, strategy and business development consultancy. Prior to NEPA, he co-founded MaxThera, a biopharmaceutical company developing novel antibacterial drugs. MaxThera was acquired by Australian company Biota Holdings. Previously, he was a Project Director of Paratek Pharmaceuticals, where he led discovery and early development teams for the now marketed drug Nuzyra (Omadacycline). Dr. Frechette was previously Associate Director at Ribogene and a Senior Scientist at Johnson and Johnson’s RW Johnson Pharmaceutical Research Institute. He completed a Ph.D. in Chemistry at Wesleyan University and was a NIH postdoctoral fellow at Yale University.

"We are thrilled to have Dr. Frechette joining our leadership team. His deep domain expertise and business leadership will enable Akelos to accelerate its trajectory in commercializing a novel, non-opioid drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain,” said Dr. Steven Fox, chairman of Akelos, Inc. “The addition of Dr. Frechette is an important milestone to realizing our goals."

Akelos Inc., is in a research collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine to develop and commercialize a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain.

Akelos Inc. Forward-Looking Statement: This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and are subject to certain factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, outcomes of events, timing and performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based. These statements include, among others, those related to: the results of research and development activities, uncertainties relating to preclinical and clinical testing, the cost, timing and outcome of the regulatory development and approval process, our budgets, expenditures and financing plans, our need for substantial additional funds, patent and intellectual property matters, our dependence on third parties, including contract research and contract clinical trial organizations; and market opportunity and competition.

The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.

Charles B. Berde, MD, PhD, Joins Scientific Advisory Board of Akelos Inc., Biotechnology Company Developing Opioid Alternatives

NEW YORK, April 29, 2019 (Newswire.com) - ​​​​​Akelos Inc., a biotechnology company currently developing and commercializing a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain, adds Dr. Charles Berde to its Scientific Advisory Board.

Dr. Berde is the Sara Page Mayo Chair and Senior Associate in Pediatric Pain Medicine in the Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine at Boston Children's Hospital and Professor of Anesthesia (Pediatrics) at Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.

He completed an MD and Ph.D. (Biophysics) at Stanford University; his residency in pediatrics at Boston Children's Hospital; residency in anesthesiology at Massachusetts General Hospital; and fellowship in pediatric anesthesiology at Boston Children's Hospital.

Dr. Berde co-founded and, for 33 years, directed the Pain Treatment Service at Boston Children's Hospital, the first and most clinically active acute and chronic pain management program for children in the world. Dr. Berde’s translational research concerns local anesthetic mechanisms and the development of novel prolonged duration local anesthetics that are now in clinical trials. His clinical research concerns clinical pharmacology of analgesics and local anesthetics in children, clinical outcomes of treatment of neuropathic pain and cancer pain in children, and EEG brain dynamics studies in children during general anesthesia. Dr. Berde is the author of over 150 original peer-reviewed articles and over 110 chapters and reviews. He was profiled as one of Time Magazine's "Heroes in Medicine" in 1997. He has received several awards and honors for his pioneering work in pediatric pain relief and anesthesiology, including the 2003 Scientific Achievement Award of the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Association, the 2015 International Association for the Study of Pain Special Interest Group in Pediatric Pain Distinguished Career Award, the 2018 Society for Pediatric Anesthesia Myron Yaster Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2018 American Society for Regional Anesthesia John Bonica Lifetime Achievement award.

Akelos inc., is in a research collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine to develop and commercialize a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain. The pre-clinical laboratory research that gave rise to Akelos Inc.'s underlying technology was enabled through prior support provided by Weill Cornell Medicine’s Daedalus Fund for Innovation, an “accelerator” type program that provides gap funding for select research projects at Weill Cornell Medicine with manifest commercial potential. Weill Cornell Medicine’s Office of BioPharma Alliances and Research Collaborations, which leads the Daedalus Fund for Innovation, catalyzed and negotiated the agreement with Akelos.

Dr. Peter Goldstein, a professor of anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine and a principal investigator in the C.V. Starr Laboratory for Molecular Neuropharmacology in the institution’s Department of Anesthesiology, is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Akelos.

"An estimated 20 million people in the United States live with chronic neuropathic pain, for which opioid medication is a common treatment," said Dr. Steven Fox, chairman of Akelos Inc. "However, the unprecedented opioid epidemic has made it all the more important to develop new medications that relieve pain without the addictive qualities that can lead to dependency. Our collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine researchers, led by Dr. Goldstein, is a critical step to realizing that goal."

Weill Cornell Medicine's Office of BioPharma Alliances and Research Collaborations’ mission is to proactively generate, structure and market translational research alliances with industry in order to advance promising research projects that have commercial potential. For more information, contact Larry Schlossman at las2041@med.cornell.edu or at 212-746-6909.

Akelos Inc. Forward-Looking Statement: This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and are subject to certain factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, outcomes of events, timing and performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based. These statements include, among others, those related to: the results of research and development activities, uncertainties relating to preclinical and clinical testing, the cost, timing and outcome of the regulatory development and approval process, our budgets, expenditures and financing plans, our need for substantial additional funds, patent and intellectual property matters, our dependence on third parties, including contract research and contract clinical trial organizations; and market opportunity and competition.

The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.

J. David Warren, Ph.D., Joins Scientific Advisory Board of Akelos Inc., Biotechnology Company Developing Opioid Alternatives

A NEW YORK, April 25, 2019 (Newswire.com) - ​​​​Akelos Inc., a biotechnology company currently developing and commercializing a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain, adds J. David Warren, Ph.D., to its Scientific Advisory Board.

J. David Warren, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Research in Biochemistry at Weill Cornell Medicine and the inaugural Director of the Abby and Howard P. Milstein Chemistry Core Facility. He is also a member of Weill Cornell Medicine’s Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, where he leads a team of medicinal and analytical chemists. Dr. Warren is a co-founder and Scientific Advisory Board member of Unii Therapeutics. Dr. Warren received undergraduate degrees in Cell and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Fort Lewis College, his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Colorado State University and a postdoctoral fellowship in Bioorganic Chemistry at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Dr. Warren participates in all aspects of basic research and R&D at Weill Cornell Medicine. Facility work ranges from total synthesis and modification of natural and unnatural products to chemical library synthesis for SAR development to the scale-up of APIs for clinical and subclinical testing. His team has supplied compounds to diverse research groups within the institution, ranging from sub-milligram quantities to more than 50 grams. The composition of matter for these projects includes lipids, nucleic acids, peptides, polyketides, carbohydrates, heterocycles and other small molecule, drug-like moieties. To date, he has led the filing of seven patent applications, and eight projects have advanced to the stage of animal studies for preclinical evaluation.

Akelos Inc. is in a research collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine to develop and commercialize a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain. The pre-clinical laboratory research that gave rise to Akelos Inc.’s underlying technology was enabled through prior support provided by Weill Cornell Medicine’s Daedalus Fund for Innovation, an “accelerator” type program that provides gap funding for select research projects at Weill Cornell Medicine with manifest commercial potential. Weill Cornell Medicine’s Office of BioPharma Alliances and Research Collaborations, which leads the Daedalus Fund for Innovation, catalyzed and negotiated the agreement with Akelos.

Dr. Peter Goldstein, a professor of anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine and a principal investigator in the C.V. Starr Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology at the institution’s Department of Anesthesiology, is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Akelos. He also is a named inventor on patents licensed to Akelos and Cornell University.

"An estimated 20 million people in the United States live with chronic neuropathic pain, for which opioid medication is a common treatment," said Dr. Steven Fox, chairman of Akelos Inc. "However, the unprecedented opioid epidemic has made it all the more important to develop new medications that relieve pain without the addictive qualities that can lead to dependency. Our collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine researchers, led by Dr. Goldstein, is a critical step to realizing that goal."

Weill Cornell Medicine's Office of BioPharma Alliances and Research Collaborations’ mission is to proactively generate, structure and market translational research alliances with industry in order to advance promising research projects that have commercial potential. For more information, contact Larry Schlossman at las2041@med.cornell.edu or at 212-746-6909.

Akelos Inc. Forward-Looking Statement: This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and are subject to certain factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, outcomes of events, timing and performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based. These statements include, among others, those related to: the results of research and development activities, uncertainties relating to preclinical and clinical testing, the cost, timing and outcome of the regulatory development and approval process, our budgets, expenditures and financing plans, our need for substantial additional funds, patent and intellectual property matters, our dependence on third parties, including contract research and contract clinical trial organizations; and market opportunity and competition.

The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.

Akelos Inc. Identifies Key Aspects Governing Pharmacophore Interactions With Target Site

NEW YORK, February 25, 2019 (Newswire.com) - Akelos Inc., a biotechnology company currently developing and commercializing a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain, announces that a research team led by Peter A. Goldstein, MD, a professor of anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine, has identified key structural aspects governing pharmacophore interactions with its molecular target site (HCN1 ion channel).

Using in vitro electrophysiology and kinetic modeling, the research team systematically explored the contribution of ligand architecture to alkylphenol-channel coupling. Their data suggest that a spatially defined cavity that accommodates alkylphenols exists in the transmembrane or interfacial region of the HCN1 ion channel. Such findings support the goal of generating novel high-potency, non-opioid, therapeutics for the treatment of neuropathic pain. These results have been published in Joyce et al. “Alkylphenol inverse agonists of HCN1 gating: H-bond propensity, ring saturation and adduct geometry differentially determine efficacy and potency,” in the peer-reviewed journal Biochemical Pharmacology.

Akelos Inc., is in a research collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine to develop and commercialize a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain. The pre-clinical laboratory research that gave rise to Akelos Inc. underlying technology was enabled through prior support provided by Weill Cornell Medicine’s Daedalus Fund for Innovation, an “accelerator” type program that provides gap funding for select research projects at Weill Cornell Medicine with manifest commercial potential. Weill Cornell Medicine’s Office of BioPharma Alliances and Research Collaborations, which leads the Daedalus Fund for Innovation, catalyzed and negotiated the Agreement with Akelos.

Dr. Goldstein, a principal investigator in the C.V. Starr Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology in Weill Cornell Medicine’s Department of Anesthesiology, is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Akelos. He also is a named inventor on patents licensed to Akelos and Cornell University.

"An estimated 20 million people in the United States live with chronic neuropathic pain, for which opioid medication is a common treatment,” said Dr. Steven Fox, chairman of Akelos Inc. “However, the unprecedented opioid epidemic has made it all the more important to develop new medications that relieve pain without the addictive qualities that can lead to dependency. Our collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine researchers, led by Dr. Goldstein, is a critical step to realizing that goal."

Weill Cornell Medicine's Office of BioPharma Alliances and Research Collaborations’ mission is to proactively generate, structure and market translational research alliances with industry in order to advance promising research projects that have commercial potential. For more information, contact Larry Schlossman at las2041@med.cornell.edu or at 212-746-6909.

Akelos Inc. Forward-Looking Statement: This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and are subject to certain factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, outcomes of events, timing and performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based. These statements include, among others, those related to: the results of research and development activities, uncertainties relating to preclinical and clinical testing, the cost, timing and outcome of the regulatory development and approval process, our budgets, expenditures and financing plans, our need for substantial additional funds, patent and intellectual property matters, our dependence on third parties, including contract research and contract clinical trial organizations; and market opportunity and competition.

The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.

Akelos Inc. Files Third Patent Application to Develop New Treatment Option for Neuropathic Pain

NEW YORK, February 11, 2019 (Newswire.com) - Akelos Inc., a biotechnology company currently developing and commercializing a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain adds to its patent portfolio by filing the company’s third patent application.

Akelos Inc. is in a research collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine to develop and commercialize a novel, non-opioid anti-hyperalgesic drug to treat chronic and neuropathic pain. The pre-clinical laboratory research that gave rise to Akelos Inc. underlying technology was enabled through prior support provided by Weill Cornell Medicine’s Daedalus Fund for Innovation, an “accelerator” type program that provides gap funding for select research projects at Weill Cornell Medicine with manifest commercial potential. Weill Cornell Medicine’s Office of BioPharma Alliances and Research Collaborations, which leads the Daedalus Fund for Innovation, catalyzed and negotiated the Agreement with Akelos.

Weill Cornell Medicine's Office of BioPharma Alliances and Research Collaborations’ mission is to proactively generate, structure and market translational research alliances with industry in order to advance promising research projects that have commercial potential. For more information, contact Larry Schlossman at las2041@med.cornell.edu or at 212-746-6909.

Akelos Inc. Forward-Looking Statement: This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and are subject to certain factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, outcomes of events, timing and performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based. These statements include, among others, those related to: the results of research and development activities, uncertainties relating to preclinical and clinical testing, the cost, timing and outcome of the regulatory development and approval process, our budgets, expenditures and financing plans, our need for substantial additional funds, patent and intellectual property matters, our dependence on third parties, including contract research and contract clinical trial organizations; and market opportunity and competition.

The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Akelos, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.