TORONTO, Nov. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arch Biopartners Inc. (“Arch” or the “Company”) (TSX Venture: ARCH and OTCQB: ACHFF) announced today that the Fraser Health Research Ethics Board (“REB”) has granted approval for the Royal Columbian Hospital (RCH) to participate in Arch’s ongoing Phase II trial evaluating LSALT peptide for the prevention and treatment of cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CS-AKI).
With this ethics approval in place, the clinical team at RCH in New Westminster, British Columbia, will proceed to complete operational approvals, training, and site initiation prior to commencing patient enrollment. RCH will be the eighth site activated globally in the study and is expected to be the fourth site to recruit patients in Canada.
The University Health Network’s Toronto General Hospital and the University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, continue to actively enroll new patients into the trial. Unity Health’s St. Michael’s Hospital has completed its preparatory steps and is awaiting final authorization from Clinical Trials Ontario (CTO) to proceed to site activation and patient enrollment. The Arch team continues to evaluate additional sites in Canada and the U.S. to join the CS-AKI Phase II trial.
Other Company News
The TSX Venture Exchange has granted final approval for the Company’s acquisition of Lipdro Therapeutics Inc. in exchange for 250,000 common shares of Arch and a royalty on future net sales of specific chronic kidney disease (CKD) drug candidates derived from the newly acquired CKD platform targeting IL-32. The acquisition of the CKD platform and Lipdro Therapeutics was first disclosed by the Company in a press release issued on September 17, 2025.
In addition, the Board of Directors of the Company has granted a total of 750,000 stock options to directors and officers pursuant to the Company’s stock option plan and the requirements of the TSX Venture Exchange. Each of these stock options is exercisable into one common share of the Company at a price of $1.70 per share for a period of ten years, effective November 4, 2025, and will be subject to regulatory approvals. The grant of 750,000 stock options to directors and officers represents remuneration for serving on the board and managing the Company’s affairs for the annual periods immediately following the Company's Annual General Meeting, ending April 1, 2025, and April 1, 2026.
About Arch Biopartners
Arch Biopartners Inc. is a therapeutic biotech company developing novel drugs for acute and chronic kidney diseases. The Company is advancing an integrated program that includes new treatments targeting inflammation- and toxin-induced kidney injury.
Arch’s pipeline includes:
- LSALT peptide: Phase II clinical program for CS-AKI
- Cilastatin: Repurposed candidate in a Phase II trial to prevent toxin-induced AKI
- CKD Therapeutics: Preclinical program targeting chronic kidney disease
These assets represent distinct, mechanism-based approaches to treating and preventing common causes of kidney damage. Together, they target serious unmet needs in kidney care across both chronic and acute indications, affecting hundreds of millions of patients worldwide.
For more details about the Company’s science and ongoing clinical trials, please visit: www.archbiopartners.com/our-science
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The Company has 66,356,366 common shares outstanding.
For more information, please contact:
Aaron Benson
Director of Communications
Arch Biopartners Inc.
647-428-7031
Send a message or subscribe for email alerts at: www.archbiopartners.com/contact-us
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws regarding expectations of the Company’s future performance, liquidity, and capital resources, as well as the ongoing development of its drug candidates targeting chronic kidney disease and the dipeptidase-1 (DPEP-1) pathway, including the outcome of its clinical trials relating to LSALT peptide (Metablok) or cilastatin, the successful commercialization and marketing of its drug candidates, whether the Company will receive, and the timing and costs of obtaining, regulatory approvals in Canada, the United States, Europe, and other countries, its ability to raise capital to fund its business plans, the efficacy of its drug candidates compared to the drug candidates developed by competitors, its ability to retain and attract key management personnel, and the breadth of, and its ability to protect, its intellectual property portfolio. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs, including certain factors and assumptions, as described in the Company’s most recent annual audited financial statements and related management discussion and analysis under the heading “Business Risks and Uncertainties”. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, or other unknown risks and uncertainties, the actual results may differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. The words “believe”, “may”, “plan”, “will”, “estimate”, “continue”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “expect”, and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Additional information relating to Arch Biopartners Inc., including the Company’s most recent annual audited financial statements, is available by accessing the Canadian Securities Administrators’ System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (“SEDAR”) website at www.sedarplus.ca.
The scientific and medical content of this release has been reviewed and approved by the Company’s Chief Science Officer.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
