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news.Geron Corporation has presented new data supporting the development of TAT0002, a small molecule telomerase activator for the treatment of HIV/AIDS, at the 16th International AIDS Conference in Toronto, Canada.
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The data confirm and extend earlier findings that TAT0002 enhances the function of key immune cells from HIV/AIDS donors. The results show that TAT0002 stimulates RANTES, MIP1-alpha and MIP1-beta, molecules that attract other immune cells to assist in the anti-viral response.
As in previous functional studies, the activity of TAT0002 was blocked by co-treatment with a potent and specific telomerase inhibitor, suggesting that TAT0002 works through telomerase activation. TAT0002 was previously shown to stimulate the production of IFN-gamma – a molecule involved in the anti-viral response of cytotoxic CD8 T-cells specific for the HIV-1 AIDS virus – and to enhance the ability of the CD8 cells to proliferate and kill HIV-1-infected CD4 cells.
Dr Calvin Harley, Geron’s chief scientific officer, also presented data showing that TAT0002 is orally bioavailable in animals. These studies, in conjunction with pilot toxicology results, suggest that therapeutic blood levels of TAT0002 can be achieved with safe, oral doses of TAT0002.
TAT0002 is being developed at TA Therapeutics, a joint venture between Geron Corporation and the Biotechnology Research Corporation, a company established by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.