ApoCell develops assays for biomarker expression in circulating tumor and endothelial cells (CTC and CEC). Among other objectives, the RTA 402 diabetic nephropathy study seeks to isolate and enumerate the number of circulating endothelial cells with a specific protein expression profile in patients to monitor the efficacy of treatment response.
Improvement in these biomarkers of endothelial function would suggest that RTA 402 restores proper filtration in the kidney by repairing damaged vasculature and may decrease the severity of cardiovascular complications that are associated with diabetes.
RTA 402 is said to be the lead molecule emerging from Reata’s platform of antioxidant inflammation modulators (AIMs). RTA 402 and other AIMs promote the resolution of innate and adaptive immune-mediated inflammation by restoring redox homeostasis in inflamed tissues.
Darren Davis, ApoCell’s CEO, said: “This is the first noncancer trial that we are applying our extensive experience in detecting and quantifying expression profiles in circulating rare cells.”