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Investing.com -- Telomir Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:TELO) stock surged 38% after the company announced new in vitro results for its lead drug candidate, Telomir-1, showing it can inhibit UTX (KDM6A), an enzyme previously considered "undruggable" that plays a key role in cancer and aging.
The preclinical-stage biotechnology company reported that Telomir-1 potently blocks UTX, which functions as an "eraser" of chemical tags on DNA packaging proteins. When UTX activity becomes abnormal, it can silence protective genes and activate harmful ones - a pattern seen in cancer, autoimmune diseases, and neurodegeneration.
These findings expand on previous research showing Telomir-1 also inhibits other epigenetic enzymes involved in DNA methylation and gene regulation, including FBXL10, FBXL11, and JMJD3. The company noted that Telomir-1 reactivated silenced tumor suppressor genes such as STAT1 and TMS1 in prostate cancer models by reversing abnormal DNA methylation.
"Everything from cancer to aging to autism has been linked to faulty DNA methylation. Telomir-1 is capable to jointly reset several of those methylation patterns - which could make it one of the first drugs to address the root biology driving so many diseases," said Erez Aminov, CEO of Telomir.
The company highlighted that Telomir-1 did not show activity against GCN5L2, an enzyme whose inhibition is associated with widespread toxicity, suggesting the drug candidate may have a favorable safety profile compared to existing epigenetic drugs.
Telomir Pharmaceuticals is developing therapies targeting the root mechanisms of cancer, aging, and age-related diseases. The company’s stock reaction reflects investor interest in the potential breakthrough in addressing previously "undruggable" targets in disease treatment.
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