Joint Chinese medicine research secures HK$1.4 million ITC funding for Osteoporosis treatment

A research team led by Professor Zhang Ge (Teaching and Research Division, School of Chinese Medicine) will conduct a preclinical study on a long-lasting sclerostin loop3 aptamer. Using an OVX rat model, the team will assess its dose-dependent effects, pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution, cardiovascular safety, and toxicity. 

Titled "The Next Generation of Cardiovascular-safe Sclerostin Loop3 Aptamer for Bone Anabolic Therapy to Reverse Osteoporosis," this research aims to advance the development of a next-generation sclerostin inhibitor that combines bone anabolic benefits with cardiovascular safety for osteoporosis treatment. 

The project builds on previous work by Professor Zhang and teammates Dr Wang Luyao and Dr Yu Sifan. The team had earlier developed Apc001, a cardiovascular-safe aptamer candidate targeting sclerostin loop3, which was later modified into the long-acting candidate Apc001OA. Apc001OA is intended for treating osteoporosis and osteogenesis imperfecta, and is the first aptamer drug candidate in China to enter the Pilot-Scale Production Stage.  

With a researcher from the Chinese University of Hong Kong joining this new phase, the project has received HK$1,400,000 in funding from the Mainland-Hong Kong Joint Funding Scheme under the Innovation and Technology Commission, which supports cross-border R&D collaboration among universities, research institutes, and technology enterprises.