PR86893

LONDON, Nov. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

Haoma Medica announced today the completion of a first-in-human trial for

NaQuinate, a naphthoquinone carboxylic acid, which is being developed as a

novel orally administered therapeutic for osteoporosis.  

The first-in-human trial initiated last year in healthy adults studied single

and multiple doses of NaQuinate. The primary objective was to assess the

safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics.

"We are delighted that the first-in-human study has completed its last dosing.

There were no significant safety or tolerability concerns up to the highest

doses tested which underlines our expectation that NaQuinate is safe and well

tolerated," said Dr Cenk Oguz, Haoma Medica's Chief Medical Officer.

"Our pre-clinical research has revealed an exciting feature of NaQuinate where

it appears to have the capacity to work in harmony with the body's natural

response to weight bearing exercise to synergistically enhance bone formation

when and where required – now that would be a 'smart' drug," said Dr Steve

Deacon, Haoma Medica's CEO. "Together with the safety data from this

first-in-human study, this supports the potential that NaQuinate treatment

could provide a safe, novel and smart therapeutic approach to bone disorders

like osteoporosis and better maintain healthy skeletal aging."

About NaQuinate

Previous studies have shown NaQuinate to protect against reduction in bone

quality and quantity that occurs in response to ovariectomy in rodent models.  

In a mechanical mouse loading model, a surrogate for weight-bearing exercise,

NaQuinate synergistically enhanced the body's normal response to loading by

forming bone, targeting relevant cortical bone regions. This synergistic

interaction between NaQuinate and mechanical loading suggests the functional

use of bones' mechanostat, a term which describes how mechanical loading

affects bone structure, in the regulation of bone mass and architecture.

NaQuinate is currently being evaluated using a curative model of osteoporosis

versus a bisphosphonate and a loading model versus an anabolic; results are

expected early next year.

About Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a silent disease often not presenting with any signs or

symptoms until a fracture occurs. It thus remains an underdiagnosed and

undertreated disease.

Osteoporosis results in bone loss and changes in bone quality and strength that

occurs through the normal aging process leading to fragile bones. Fragile bones

lead to fractures, which progresses into a downward spiral of disability, loss

of independence and increased mortality with considerable social and economic

burden. Fragility fractures are a major obstacle to healthy aging. Worldwide

there is a fragility fracture every 3 seconds.

According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, about 200 million

suffer from the disease worldwide. A combined lifetime risk of fractures is 40%

and is equivalent to the risk of cardiovascular disease. In women over 45 years

of age, osteoporosis results in more time in hospitals that many other diseases

such as breast cancer, heart attacks, and diabetes.

About Haoma Medica  

Haoma Medica is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the

development of therapeutics to maintain bone and vascular health.

For more information, please visit www.haomamedica.com

Investor Relations Contact:

Name: Carmen Greco                                                    

e-mail: carmen.greco@haomamedica.com          

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Source: Haoma Medica