Zentek and Triera Biosciences Ltd. Achieve Positive Results Against Avian Influenza (H5N1) using Multivalent Aptamer Technology

GUELPH, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 6, 2024 / Zentek Ltd. ("Zentek" or the "Company") (Nasdaq:ZTEK)(TSX-V:ZEN), announces that its wholly-owned subsidiary Triera Biosciences Ltd. ("Triera") has prioritized the development of a prophylaxis and therapeutic for highly pathogenic avian influenza ("HPAI") and reports initial test results.

Background and Highlights:

Universal aptamer has been selected for influenza virus, including H5N1

Binding affinity of influenza aptamer is better than aptamer used for SARS-CoV-2, which has demonstrated improved protection over leading monoclonal antibodies in animal models

Development prioritized given current global HPAI H5N1 outbreak. In vivo testing to begin immediately

World Health Organization deems current H5N1 outbreak "enormous concern," priority target for numerous governments around the world

Provisional patent filed on influenza virus-targeting aptamer

The recent avian influenza H5N1 outbreak which began in 2020, has reached a critical stage, according to the World Health Organization. Recently, the world has been placed on watch as H5N1 has crossed into livestock in the U.S. and H5N1 RNA sequences have been detected in the milk supply. The chief scientist of the World Health Organization, Dr. Jeremy Farrar, has expressed "enormous concern" to public health as the transmission of the virus has increased amongst livestock. H5N1 has the potential to lead to a severe pandemic with a historic mortality rate as high as 52% in the limited human cases to date.^[1] Over the last few years, H5N1 has led to the death of millions of poultry with wild birds and land and marine mammals also infected.

Government agencies have expressed their concern of an H5N1 outbreak and their interest to develop further assets that could either treat or prevent further transmission of H5N1 to the human population. There is also interest for new options to mitigate the spread of H5N1 amongst livestock as this could have a potentially devastating impact on the food supply and the economy - along with providing an opportunity for the virus to better adapt to mammals, which increases risk to humans.

Due to the growing concern of HPAI, Triera has recently prioritized the development of a universal aptamer for influenza. The mechanism of neutralizing the H5N1 virus is comparable to the mechanism used by C19HBA against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. More specifically, the aptamer is believed to bind to and neutralize multiple subtypes of the HA surface protein (e.g., H1, H2, H5, etc.), preventing the virus from entering healthy cells and spreading infection.