New Filings Extend EL-22 and EL-32 into Spaceflight-Associated Muscle Atrophy, Broadening NorthStrive’s Myostatin and Activin A Intellectual Property Portfolio Across Human Weight-Loss, Space Health and Animal Health Applications

The filings are intended to position EL-22 and EL-32 as potential muscle-preservation platforms not only for large terrestrial markets, but also for the emerging medical requirements associated with sustained human presence in space

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Aug. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NorthStrive Biosciences Inc. (“NorthStrive”), a wholly owned subsidiary of PMGC Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: ELAB) (the “Company,” “PMGC,” “we,” or “our”), today announced the filing of two new U.S. patent applications directed to the use of its lead assets, EL-22 and EL-32, to preserve lean muscle mass in humans experiencing muscle loss caused by exposure to a microgravity environment. The applications have been assigned U.S. Patent Application Nos. 19/774,556 (EL-22) and 19/774,575 (EL-32).

EL-22 is designed to target myostatin, and EL-32 to target both myostatin and activin A, proteins that negatively regulate skeletal muscle growth. The new filings apply that same biology, which NorthStrive is advancing for muscle preservation during glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist and other obesity-related weight loss treatment, to a separate and clinically distinct patient population: humans whose skeletal muscle atrophies during spaceflight.

Muscle Loss in Microgravity

In a microgravity environment, skeletal muscle atrophies as a result of mechanical unloading. Microgravity exposure also increases the risk of skeletal muscle damage and weakness, and therefore the risk of injury when muscle is reloaded on return to a gravitational environment. Care of crew musculature is accordingly regarded as essential both to astronaut health and performance in flight and to recovery after return to Earth.

Countermeasures in use today rely principally on in-flight resistance and aerobic exercise protocols, nutritional support and rehabilitation after landing. To NorthStrive's knowledge, no pharmacologic therapy has been approved by any regulatory authority specifically for the prevention or treatment of muscle loss caused by microgravity exposure. NorthStrive believes an orally deliverable approach would be well suited to the operational constraints of crewed spaceflight, where mass, volume, cold-chain capacity and crew time are all limited.

What the New Applications Cover

Together, the two applications are directed to the following, in each case for use in preserving lean muscle mass in human patients:

  • Compositions. The EL-22 application claims pharmaceutical products comprising an isolated myostatin-derived Myo-2 peptide, a multimer of between two and eight such peptides, and fusion proteins pairing a mature myostatin protein with either the peptide or the multimer. The EL-32 application claims pharmaceutical products comprising a microorganism transformed with a cell surface display vector that expresses myostatin and activin A as a bispecific antigen, including embodiments using a pgsA display vector and a lactic acid bacterium such as Lactobacillus paracasei .
  • Microgravity-exposed patient population. Claims in both applications directed to patients experiencing lean muscle mass loss from exposure to a microgravity environment.
  • Formulation, delivery and dosing. Claims covering pharmaceutically acceptable excipients, specified daily dosage ranges, and a range of delivery forms, including oral dosage forms and, in the EL-22 application, additional forms such as nasal spray, injection and topical preparations.
  • Combination and co-administration approaches. Claims covering administration together with apelin or with ursolic acid, each of which has been studied in connection with muscle metabolism.

Expanding the EL-22 and EL-32 Patent Estate

These two patentfilings continue NorthStrive’s deliberate strategy of broadening the EL-22 and EL-32 patent estate across patient populations and end markets rather than concentrating the patent estates in a single indication. NorthStrive has previously filed applications directed to human muscle preservation during GLP-1 receptor agonist and other obesity-related weight loss treatment, has filed applications covering animal health applications, and has entered into an exclusive license agreement for the commercialization of EL-22 and EL-32 in animal health. Each additional filing is intended to extend protection around the same underlying myostatin and activin A biology, and NorthStrive believes the incremental cost of doing so is modest relative to the potential commercial optionality created.

Human spaceflight activity continues to expand, with sustained crewed operations in low Earth orbit, commercial space station programs in development, a growing private astronaut market, and publicly stated agency objectives for long-duration lunar and Mars exploration. Longer missions mean greater cumulative microgravity exposure, which NorthStrive believes will increase the operational and medical importance of preserving crew muscle mass and strength. NorthStrive views this as a specialized but strategically valuable potential application that sits alongside, rather than in place of, the substantially larger terrestrial opportunities it is pursuing in muscle loss associated with GLP-1 and obesity treatment, sarcopenia and disuse atrophy.

NorthStrive is not currently a party to any agreement, contract or program with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, any other government space agency, or any commercial space operator, and no such arrangement should be assumed or is assured.

Development and Patent Status

EL-22 and EL-32 are preclinical product candidates. Neither has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or any other regulatory authority for any indication, and neither has been evaluated in humans for muscle loss caused by exposure to a microgravity environment. The filing of a patent application does not assure that a patent will issue, that any particular claim will be allowed in its filed form, or that any issued claim would provide commercially meaningful protection. NorthStrive has not commenced a clinical trial in this patient population, and there is no assurance that it will do so or that any product candidate will be successfully developed, approved or commercialized.

About NorthStrive Biosciences Inc.

NorthStrive Biosciences Inc., a PMGC Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: ELAB) company, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and acquisition of therapeutics for the preservation of lean muscle mass. Its lead product candidates are EL-22, an engineered probiotic targeting myostatin, and EL-32, an engineered probiotic targeting both myostatin and activin A, proteins that negatively regulate skeletal muscle growth. Both are being developed to help patients preserve lean muscle mass during GLP-1 receptor agonist and other obesity-related weight loss treatment. For more information, please visit www.northstrivebio.com .

About PMGC Holdings Inc.

PMGC Holdings Inc. is a diversified holding company that manages and grows its portfolio through strategic acquisitions, investments, and development across various industries. We are committed to exploring opportunities in multiple sectors to maximize growth and value. For more information, please visit https://www.pmgcholdings.com .

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