SAN DIEGO, CA (September 22, 2021) Hillhurst Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing liquid drug products containing designated medical gases using its proprietary GLASS™ (Gas in Liquid Advanced Stability System) technology platform, today announced the award of a Phase 1 Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) of approximately $630,000 to collaborate with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) for the pre-clinical development of Hillhurst’s lead candidate, HBI-002, an oral therapeutic candidate containing low doses of the medical gas carbon monoxide for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. This novel technology targets a protective cellular metabolic pathway (heme oxygenase) known to modulate inflammatory processes and cell death mechanisms.  This research aims to build on the important epidemiologic finding that smoking, which provides low dose carbon monoxide, is associated with lower risk of Parkinson’s disease, and clinical research demonstrating that nicotine is not the cause of this protection.  Leading the collaboration from MGH is Stephen Gomperts, MD, PhD, who is Director of the Lewy Body Dementia Unit at MGH and Associate Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, and whose lab will test HBI-002 in Parkinson’s disease rodent models.

“With this award, Hillhurst will further explore the therapeutic potential of low doses of the medical gas carbon monoxide delivered with our oral drug product HBI-002 in collaboration with MGH to address the important unmet medical need for patients with Parkinson’s disease,” said Andrew Gomperts, Hillhurst’s Chief Executive Officer.  “Hillhurst is grateful to the NINDS for this competitive grant. We believe the promise of our novel approach of oral delivery of low dose carbon monoxide is further validated by this award.”

This research is supported by NINDS (1R41NS122576-01).

The content in this release is the sole responsibility of Hillhurst and does not necessarily represent the official views or imply endorsement of the National Institutes of Health.

About Parkinson’s Disease

There is an urgent need for the development of approaches to treat Parkinson’s disease.  Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement, resulting in progressive disability with eventual early death.  Many major health issues are associated with Parkinson’s disease, including loss of motor function, dementia, and psychiatric symptoms.  Parkinson’s disease affects approximately 980,000 patients in the U.S.

About HBI-002

Hillhurst’s lead product HBI-002, developed with the GLASS™ platform, enables oral liquid delivery of low doses of the medical gas carbon monoxide.  This product candidate may address key medical issues of Parkinson’s disease and sickle cell disease vaso-occlusive crisis.

About Hillhurst

Hillhurst is a clinical stage company focused on using its proprietary GLASS™ technology platform to unlock the potential of therapeutic gases through drinkable liquid medicines for debilitating diseases with limited treatment options.  Hillhurst has developed a unique pipeline of novel liquid therapeutic candidates intended to treat patients with Parkinson’s disease, sickle cell disease, and acute pain.

To learn more about Hillhurst, please visit www.hillhurstbio.com.

CONTACT: hillhurstpress@hillhurstbio.com