Core Insights - Arch Biopartners Inc. has initiated patient recruitment for the Phase II trial named "Prevention Of NephroToxin Induced Acute Kidney Injury with Cilastatin" (PONTIAK) in Alberta, Canada [1][2] Company Overview - Arch Biopartners is a late-stage clinical trial company focused on preventing acute kidney injury (AKI) and organ damage caused by inflammation [11] - The company is developing a platform of novel drugs targeting the dipeptidase-1 (DPEP1) inflammation pathway prevalent in the kidneys, lungs, and liver [11] Clinical Trial Details - The PONTIAK study aims to evaluate the efficacy of cilastatin in preventing AKI associated with nephrotoxic pharmaceuticals, enrolling approximately 698 patients across five hospital sites in Alberta [2][3] - The trial has secured $1.5 million in funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and an additional $400,000 from the Accelerating Clinical Trials (ACT) initiative [3] Drug Information - Cilastatin was originally developed in the early 1980s to limit the breakdown of imipenem, a β-lactam antibiotic, and is currently marketed in combination with imipenem [7] - Arch Biopartners has manufactured the first-ever stand-alone cilastatin drug product for the trial and holds exclusive method-of-use patents to repurpose cilastatin for AKI treatment [4][8] Market Context - Drug toxins account for approximately 30% of AKI cases in hospitalized patients, with common culprits including antibiotics and chemotherapy agents [6] - There is currently no specific therapeutic treatment available on the market that prevents AKI, highlighting a significant unmet medical need [5][12]