Every year, millions of Americans are admitted to the emergency room directly or indirectly as a result of alcohol intoxication. Severe alcohol toxicity can be life threatening. More moderate presentations of alcohol toxicity can lead to emergency room congestion, delays in critical treatment to trauma patients, and unnecessary utilization of hospital resources. An antidote to alcohol toxicity through the rapid metabolism of acetaldehyde may offer a way to rescue moderately and severely intoxicated patients while reducing the burden those patients impose upon hospitals and the healthcare system.

Following IND filing, a phase 1/2 alcohol challenge study in healthy volunteers is planned as a proof of concept for Aldea’s lead ALDH2 activator and to provide further rationale for pursuit of other indications involving aldehyde metabolism.