Celmatix Nominates First Lead Compound in Oral Fertility Drug Program

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, October 22, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Celmatix Inc., the leading women's health biotechnology company focused on ovarian biology, has announced the nomination of a lead compound in its oral Follicle Stimulating Hormone receptor (FSHR) agonist drug development program. This represents a major milestone, with the potential to transform fertility treatments for both men and women. The announcement coincides with the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), currently underway in Denver, Colorado.

Just one year after identifying early leads for its oral FSH program, Celmatix has nominated its first lead after the compound demonstrated oral bioavailability and biological activity in the gold standard rodent model used to develop injectable FSH drugs. While rodent ovaries differ from human ovaries, they have served for decades as reliable translational models for ovarian stimulation drugs used in fertility treatments. This breakthrough offers a glimpse of a future in which traditional hormone injections for fertility treatments, such as egg freezing and IVF, could be replaced by simpler, non-invasive options.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 in 6 people globally are affected by infertility. Despite these challenges, there has been minimal innovation in novel fertility drugs in recent decades.

Dr. Stephen Palmer, Chief Scientific Officer of Celmatix, remarked, "We are thrilled to see that our Lead compound not only demonstrates biological activity through an oral route of administration but also specifically targets the FSH receptor without affecting the closely related thyroid hormone receptor (TSHR). Toxicity from off-target effects on TSHR have been a key challenge for prior drug development efforts to replace injectable fertility drugs that rely on the FSH hormone with small molecules. FSH evolved over millennia to have a 500 fold higher affinity for its receptor than TSHR. We are proud to report that our novel compounds demonstrate specificity for FSHR that is superior to that of FSH, which gives us optimism that our program will succeed where others have failed in past efforts.

Dr. Piraye Yurttas Beim, Founder and CEO of Celmatix, stated, "Our oral FSH program stands to fundamentally change the landscape of fertility treatments. By offering a non-invasive alternative to daily injections, we aim to make fertility care more safe, accessible, and effective for both women and men. Kudos to our team for achieving this tremendous milestone."

In addition, Celmatix's approach also seeks to address the limitations of existing ovulation induction treatments for women with conditions like PCOS, where current success rates are as low as 5% per cycle. By aiming to improve these rates to 20-25%, Celmatix is poised to transform fertility treatment strategies and offer more effective solutions.

Male infertility, which accounts for over 20% of infertility cases, has traditionally been addressed through the female partner undergoing IVF procedures. In theory, FSH drugs could be used to improve sperm quality directly, which in addition to enhancing natural male fertility would avoid unnecessary and costly procedures for his partner. Although injectable FSH medications have been used for years in European countries to treat male partners directly, adherence to such regimens remains a significant challenge. Celmatix's oral FSHR agonist offers a promising alternative that could improve compliance and efficacy for both male and female infertility treatments.

Dr. Beim continued, "Our focus at Celmatix is on creating treatments that restore physiological balance and enhance overall patient safety and experience. Undergoing fertility treatment is already hard enough on people's bodies. Why add the extra burden of having to self-administer dozens of injections when you could take a pill instead?"

About Celmatix

Celmatix Inc. is a preclinical-stage women's health biotech focused uniquely on ovarian biology. With its growing pipeline of innovative drug programs including an AMHR2 agonist program focused on ovarian aging and an oral FSH for infertility, Celmatix is addressing areas of high unmet need by developing the next generation of interventions and pioneering advancements in ovarian health. Celmatix's proprietary multi-omic ovarian health platform, the world's largest of its kind, is the foundation of the company's novel pipeline of first-in-class therapies. For more information, visit the company's website at www.celmatix.com

Martin Sandgren
Celmatix Inc.
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