New In Vitro Data Showing Matinas BioPharma’s LNC Platform Delivering Small Oligonucleotides Presented at TIDES USA 2024

BEDMINSTER, N.J., May 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Matinas BioPharma Holdings, Inc. (NYSE American: MTNB), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on delivering groundbreaking therapies using its lipid nanocrystal (LNC) platform delivery technology, announces new in vitro data showing the use of LNCs for the delivery of small oligonucleotides was presented yesterday in a poster session at TIDES USA 2024: Oligonucleotide & Peptide Therapeutics, a hybrid in-person and virtual conference underway in Boston.

The poster, “Intracellular Delivery of Small Oligonucleotides with Lipid Nanocrystals (LNCs): in vitro studies,” was presented by Hui Liu, PhD, Chief Technology Officer of Matinas, and is available here.   The poster discusses in vitro studies demonstrating the avid uptake of LNC formulations of various cytokine-targeted small oligonucleotides in murine macrophages, with up to 70% gene knockdown observed for each targeted cytokine.

“There has been heightened interest in small oligonucleotides in multiple therapeutic areas, yet a major barrier to their use is systemic delivery, which can lead to toxicity and adverse immunogenicity,” said Dr. Liu. “These in vitro studies showed that our LNCs can successfully encapsulate and protect ASOs, siRNA and other small oligonucleotides even when exposed to gastric fluid and can deliver them to a variety of cells with demonstrable biological activity. These characteristics make LNCs a highly promising oral drug delivery platform for future applications requiring oral delivery of small oligonucleotides.”

About Matinas BioPharma
Matinas BioPharma is a biopharmaceutical company focused on delivering groundbreaking therapies using its lipid nanocrystal (LNC) platform delivery technology.

Matinas’ lead LNC-based therapy is MAT2203, an oral formulation of the broad-spectrum antifungal drug amphotericin B, which although highly potent, can be associated with significant toxicity. Matinas’ LNC platform provides oral delivery of amphotericin B without the significant nephrotoxicity otherwise associated with IV-delivered formulations. Combining comparable fungicidal activity with targeted delivery results in a lower risk of toxicity and potentially creates the ideal antifungal agent for the treatment of invasive fungal infections. MAT2203 was successfully evaluated in the completed Phase 2 EnACT study in HIV patients suffering from cryptococcal meningitis, meeting its primary endpoint and achieving robust survival. MAT2203 will be further evaluated in a single Phase 3 registration trial (the “ORALTO” trial) as an oral step-down monotherapy following treatment with AmBisome (liposomal amphotericin B) compared with the standard of care in patients with invasive aspergillosis who have limited treatment options.