NORFOLK, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ReAlta Life Sciences, Inc., today announced the details of a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony at their new headquarters located at 5665 Lowery Road, Norfolk, VA 23502. The event will take place on October 21, 2020 at 11:30 AM. The Ceremony will be outside and all guests will be required to wear masks and observe social distancing.
The event will include brief remarks from ReAlta Life Sciences Chief Executive Officer Ulrich Thienel, M.D., Ph.D., Board Chairman Edward “Buzz” Heidt, Jr., United States Representative Elaine Luria (D-VA-02), and Norfolk Mayor Kenneth Alexander, Ph.D. Following formal remarks, the event will conclude with informal conversation, as well as guided tours of the facility in small, socially distant groups.
The 11,000 sq. ft new headquarters is located in an Opportunity Zone, with the goal of attracting and supporting significant jobs in Norfolk that will accommodate planned future growth.
In July, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted ReAlta’s application to initiate a double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 1b clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of RLS-0071, the company’s lead drug compound, for the treatment of patients in early respiratory failure with acute lung injury secondary to COVID-19. In preclinical disease models, RLS-0071 demonstrated an ability to modulate complement, neutrophil and cytokine activation and reduce the key inflammatory pathways that contribute to acute lung injury. RLS-0071 is also currently under development for the treatment of a rare pediatric condition, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).
“We are proud to call Norfolk home and have remained here to develop and commercialize this exciting new drug platform addressing life-threatening diseases, such as COVID-19, through harnessing the power of the immune system,” says Ulrich Thienel, M.D., Ph.D. “We are honored to be part of the community and to open up our new facility filled with hope and dedication to the advancement of science and medicine.”
About ReAlta Life Sciences
ReAlta Life Sciences, Inc. is a clinical stage biotech company dedicated to harnessing the power of the immune system through its EPICC technology platform, comprised of a family of over 160 engineered peptides, to address life-threatening medical needs. To support its vision, ReAlta has developed a novel class of therapeutics with a dual targeting approach designed to rebalance complement and inflammatory processes in the body. The company’s pipeline is led by RLS-0071, which has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency for the treatment of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in neonates. The company launched in 2018, and is located in Norfolk, Virginia. For more information, please visit www.realtalifesciences.com.