Altus Technologies

Altus Pharmaceuticals was a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing high-concentration, stable protein therapeutics using its proprietary Cross-Linked Enzyme Crystal (CLEC) technology. Spun off from Vertex Pharmaceuticals in 1992, the company aimed to improve the delivery and efficacy of enzymes and other proteins for chronic gastrointestinal and metabolic diseases. Its lead product candidate, ALTU-135 (Trizytek), was an orally delivered enzyme replacement therapy for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency that reached Phase 3 clinical trials. Despite its innovative platform and significant partnerships with organizations like Genentech and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the company faced financial difficulties and clinical setbacks, leading to its liquidation in 2009. The company's assets, including its lipase and growth hormone programs, were subsequently sold to other pharmaceutical entities.