EXCLUSIVE: CEO Todd Brady Lays Out Aldeyra's Groundbreaking Development

In an exclusive interview with Benzinga, Aldeyra Therapeutics ALDX CEO Todd Brady (who is often confused with Tom Brady!) discussed his company’s opportunities.

“What we have is an aldehyde trap,” began Brady. “We developed molecules that bind to and dispose of aldehyde.” Aldehydes are a nasty agent in the human body that are responsible for inflammation and can lead to a series of other diseases, including cancer.

“We are not aware of any pharmaceutical company working on aldehyde,” said Brady. A key reason for this? Aldyra thinks it has discovered the first aldehyde trap. In addition, aldehydes have been historically viewed as a marker of disease, rather than a cause of disease. However, Brady does not believe this is the case: “The evidence is overwhelming that aldehydes can cause disease.” This philosophy of aldehydes significantly increases the importance of fighting them. Brady further explains how this is true with the two diseases Aldyra is specifically targeting.

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The first, Sjögren-Larsson Syndrome, which is, “about as severe a skin disease as you can get.” With no therapy to treat the disease, Brady thinks the company can acquire almost all of the 1,000 patients in the United State and larget population in Europe.

The other disease Aldyra directly targets is Uveitis, an ocular inflammation. Currently, patients are treated with steroids, “which work, but they are toxic,” according to Brady. “The topical steroids will eventually cause cataracts and glaucoma.” Brady’s goal is to prove his treatment can fight Uveitis on its own, or alongside the steroid, reducing the dose needed.”

Aldyra’s long term vision spans far greater than the two diseases being tested. If efficacy can be proved for either disease, “it would portend efficacy in a variety of other diseases, just given the general toxicity of aldehyde.”

This expansive reach is dependent on data from the tests of Sjögren-Larsson and Uveitis, which Brady tells investors to look for in the second half of 2015.

Aldyra Therapeutics just became a public company at the beginning of May. Shares are down 3.9 percent to $6.92 since the IPO.