- Shareholders approve name change and rebranding to Centenara Labs AG (“Centenara”)
- Rebrand positions business for strategic initiatives designed to support development of therapies for regenerative medicine and age-related disorders
- Company also reports encouraging preliminary clinical results on novel blindness treatment, EA-2353 for Retinitis Pigmentosa
SCHLIEREN, Switzerland, Sept. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Centenara Labs AG (“Centenara” or the “Company“) (formerly Rejuveron Life Sciences AG), a Zurich-based biotechnology company focused on pioneering therapies to promote healthy aging, is pleased to announce that at the Company’s Extraordinary General Meeting (“EGM“) on August 23, 2024, shareholders approved a name change to Centenara Labs AG. This strategic name change and wider rebranding initiative is designed to ensure the Company’s ongoing differentiation in the marketplace, enhance awareness and improve Centenara’s positioning for future growth.
The Company’s new name embodies Centenara’s mission to help individuals maintain their functional independence, physical and mental fitness, and sensory abilities throughout their lifespan, empowering them to live better and longer in emulation of the quality of life so often expressed in discussing centenarians. By focusing on advancing novel therapeutic approach through targeting the root cause of age-related diseases, Centenara aims to extend health span — ensuring that individuals not only live longer but also maintain a high quality of life throughout their extended years.
“Our transition to Centenara is a bold and forward-thinking step that aligns with our strategic vision and represents more than just a new name; it underscores a renewed focus on working together to build a business that can successfully develop therapies for regenerative medicine and age-related disorders,” said Aksana Labokha, CEO of Centenara. “Our updated visual identity demonstrates our evolution and sets us apart within the biotechnology sector putting a focus on the drivers of an extended quality of life. As we move forward, operating as Centenara will not only support our strategic goals, including exploring public market opportunities and potential pharma partnerships, but will also enhance our efforts to build a pipeline of breakthrough therapeutics that target the hallmarks of aging.”
The Company’s innovative approach is currently focused on identifying and transforming the most promising discoveries in ophthalmology and senescence research into novel therapies that extend independence and well-being, contributing to a longer, healthier life. In concert with the rebrand, Centenara encourages investors and other interested parties to review the updated website and corporate presentation at https://centenara.com.
Clinical Update on EA-2353: Treatment for Retinitis Pigmentosa
In concert with the above-mentioned rebranding efforts, Centenara is pleased to provide an update on the progress of the lead EA-2353 program for the treatment of Retinitis Pigmentosa (“RP“) which causes progressive retinal degeneration and loss of vision. EA-2353 is a small molecule directed endogenous stem cell treatment, which triggers quiescent retinal stem and progenitor cells to preserve or restore visual function. RP is a rare, inherited retinal disease that onsets at a young age, with most patients legally blind by age 40. A Phase 1/2a first-in-human clinical trial on EA-2353 has been completed with encouraging preliminary results that indicate EA-2353 was safe and well-tolerated. The exploratory efficacy data demonstrated positive trends in visual function, retinal sensitivity, and retinal structure in treated eyes. The Company believes that these results yield an exciting development in the understanding of stem cell focused therapies.
Given the lack of current treatment options for most patients with RP, EA-2353 represents a novel, gene-independent treatment approach, which offers significant advantages given the multiple genetic causes of RP. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted EA-2353 orphan drug designation in May 2021.
About Centenara
Centenara is a clinical-stage biotechnology company creating therapies to improve healthy aging. Its experienced drug discovery and development team applies a deep understanding of the biology of aging, alongside technological advances in biopharmaceutical R&D, to progress a new generation of medicines that will help people to age better and live longer.
Through its programs, each uniquely focused on preventing, repairing, or reversing the hallmarks of aging, Centenara is advancing a therapeutic pipeline that ranges from drug discovery to the clinic. The current portfolio is diversified across modalities, stages, as well as aging hallmarks, and includes a revolutionary small molecule approach to regenerate endogenous stem cells, currently in a Phase 1/2a in the USA in RP patients.
In addition, the current product pipeline includes therapies targeting dry age-related macular degeneration in pre-clinical phase; novel therapies for diseases driven by senescence such as age-related diseases associated with fibrosis and cancer; a telomere program focused on restoring and reversing damaged or shortened telomeres; and programs targeting neurodegenerative and cognitive disorders.
Centenara was co-founded in 2019 by entrepreneurial scientist Matthias Steger, and visionary investor Christian Angermayer.
Aksana Labokha, CEO info@centenara.com
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