Aileron Therapeutics Issues Statement on Passing of Scientific Advisory Board Member and Nobel Laureate Robert H. Grubbs

BOSTON, Dec. 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aileron Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ALRN) today issued the following statement regarding the passing of Nobel Laureate Robert H. Grubbs, Ph.D., who served as a member of the company’s Scientific Advisory Board since 2011.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Bob Grubbs, a legendary chemist whose work has had a profound and far-reaching impact, including on Aileron’s foundational stapled peptide technology and, thus, our chemoprotective agent ALRN-6924. Bob earned many well-deserved accolades for his pioneering work, including the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. But perhaps what our team will remember most is his sincere humility and kindness. We are truly honored to have known Bob and will continue to honor his brilliant work through the advancement of ALRN-6924 to help cancer patients. Our sincere condolences to his family and his many friends and colleagues at CalTech and beyond.”

Dr. Grubbs served as the Viktor and Elizabeth Atkins Professor of Chemistry at CalTech. He was awarded the 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the development of a chemical reaction known as metathesis, meaning ‘changing places’, a method of organic synthesis. As CalTech’s statement on Dr. Grubbs’ passing explained, “Grubbs developed powerful new catalysts that enabled the synthesis of custom-built molecules with specialized properties that enable, for example, the creation of specialized plastics or more effective drugs for the treatment of disease.” Aileron’s stapled peptide technology, which underlies its novel investigational selective chemoprotective agent ALRN-6924, utilizes the metathesis method developed by Dr. Grubbs. Link here to read CalTech’s full statement.

About Aileron Therapeutics

Aileron is a clinical stage chemoprotection oncology company focused on fundamentally transforming the experience of chemotherapy for cancer patients. ALRN-6924, our first-in-class MDM2/MDMX dual inhibitor, is designed to activate p53, which in turn upregulates p21, a known inhibitor of the cell replication cycle. ALRN-6924 is the only reported chemoprotective agent in clinical development to employ a biomarker strategy, in which we exclusively focus on treating patients with p53-mutated cancers. Our targeted strategy is designed to selectively protect multiple healthy cell types throughout the body from chemotherapy without protecting cancer cells. As a result, healthy cells are spared from chemotherapeutic destruction while chemotherapy continues to kill cancer cells. By reducing or eliminating multiple chemotherapy-induced side effects, ALRN-6924 may improve patients’ quality of life and help them better tolerate chemotherapy. Enhanced tolerability may result in fewer dose reductions or delays of chemotherapy and the potential for improved efficacy.

Our vision is to bring chemoprotection to patients with p53-mutated cancers, which represent approximately 50% of cancer patients, regardless of type of cancer or chemotherapy. Visit us at aileronrx.com to learn more.

Company Contact:
Liz Melone
617-256-6622        
lmelone@aileronrx.com