LONDON, April 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nectero Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapies for aneurysmal disease, released two-year outcomes data today from the company's first-in-human (FIH) trial of their investigational Nectero EAST System. The results were presented at Charing Cross 2026 by Dr. Andrew Holden during a session on Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) disease management.
The therapy, developed by Nectero, is intended to treat patients with small- to medium-sized aneurysms earlier in the AAA disease process, with the potential to delay or avoid higher risk endograft or open repair procedures. The investigational drug, containing the active pharmaceutical ingredient pentagalloylglucose (PGG), is administered as a single treatment delivered locally into the aneurysmal wall with a dual-balloon delivery catheter.
"The magnitude and consistency of effect observed to date strengthen our confidence in the therapeutic potential of this approach and its ability to address the underlying disease biology," explained Jack Springer, Nectero's President and CEO. "We believe these data position us well to advance into the next stage of development with the goal of delivering the first disease-modifying therapy for AAA."
The FIH study enrolled 46 patients with aneurysms of a median maximum diameter of 4.3 cm. Average patient age was 70 years, 89% were male and average BMI was 27 kg/m2. The average procedure time was less than 45 minutes, with sites reporting 100% technical success in delivering the therapy. There were no major adverse events through 30 days, nor any treatment-related adverse events reported after 30 days.
Through two-year follow-up, investigators measured a median aneurysm diameter growth of 1.00 mm per year. This represents a significant reduction in the expected AAA growth rate, with nearly 90% of the aneurysms growing less than expected compared to what's been historically documented and published. Additionally, the AAA proximal neck diameters remained stable, with no dilatation, in the 1-year preliminary analysis.
Dr. Holden summarized, "Through 2-year follow-up in this FIH trial, it's been shown that a single, local dose of PGG in patients with small- to medium-sized abdominal aortic aneurysms demonstrates an acceptable safety profile with a profound impact on reducing AAA growth. Additionally, we've seen a positive, early clinical signal towards proximal neck stabilization."
A full 2-year analysis on AAA proximal neck diameters will be released in June during a late-breaking session at the Vascular Annual Meeting (VAM) in Boston, and three-year follow-up from the FIH trial will be completed by the end of 2026.
About Nectero Therapeutics
The Nectero Endovascular Aneurysm Stabilization Treatment (Nectero EAST) System is an investigational, one-time endovascular treatment designed to slow or stabilize the growth of small- to medium-sized AAAs. It delivers a pentagalloylglucose (PGG) drug solution directly into the aneurysmal wall via a dual-balloon catheter. PGG binds to elastin and collagen, reinforcing those structural proteins which may strengthen the aortic wall, hinder enzymatic degradation, slow the growth of aneurysms and potentially reduce rupture risk. The procedure leaves no permanent implant behind and does not preclude future interventions if needed.
Small and medium-sized abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are typically asymptomatic but progressively weaken the aortic wall, creating a continuous risk of expansion and eventual rupture. In the U.S. there are ~250,000 new cases diagnosed per year. The annual rupture risk for these patients is between .5-5% per year, and AAA is in the top 15 causes of death for men over the age of 65. Currently there are no approved therapies to halt progression of this disease.
The company is currently enrolling a 400-patient randomized, controlled clinical trial evaluating the effect of PGG treatment versus standard-of-care to treat small- to medium-sized AAA. For more information, visit necterotherapeutics.com.
The Nectero EAST System is an Investigational Drug/Device product. Limited by U.S. law to investigational use only. Not available for sale.
Contact
David Gutierrez
Dresner Corporate Services
(312) 780-7204
dgutierrez@dresnerco.com
