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Abstract

Grant Number: 1R43HL069419-01
PI Name: PACHER, PAL
PI Email: pjagtap@inotekcorp.com
PI Title:
Project Title: PARS inhibitor for cardiac allotransplantation

Abstract: Immune-mediated rejection is the principal obstacle to the use of heart transplantation for the treatment of end-stage cardiac failure. Current immunosuppressive regimens have limited efficacy and are associated with substantial toxicity. A recently discovered mechanism of inflammatory injury, the "Poly (ADP-ribose) Synthetase (PARS) Pathway", has now been implicated in the pathogenesis of allograft rejection. Triggered by peroxynitrite-induced DNA single strand breaks, PARS catalyzes an energy-consuming polymerization of ADP-ribose, resulting in NAD depletion, inhibition of glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration, and the ultimate reduction of intracellular high energy phosphates. PARS activation also strongly up-regulates expression of the transcription expression of the transcription factor AP-1 and AP-1 dependent genes, including ICAM-1. In this proposal, we present experimental evidence that pharmacologic inhibition of PARS activity has potent anti-inflammatory effects and prolongs cardiac allograft survival. The specific aim of the present proposal has to determine the benefit of PJ-34, a novel, non-toxic, and highly potent PARS inhibitor, in the prevention of organ dysfunction and cellular injury in an experimental rodent model of cardiac transplant rejection. Demonstration that PJ-34 prevents tissue injury and prolongs graft survival would represent a breakthrough in the design of novel anti- inflammatory regimens to prolong allograft survival. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: The domestic marker for a novel, effective therapy for cardiac allograft rejection is estimated at $100 million per annum. Global markets are estimated at $400 million. Current market entrants such as cyclosporine A and FK506, have substantial toxicity. Funding of SBIR Phases I and II would allow for market entry in 4 years.

Thesaurus Terms:
antiinflammatory agent, artificial immunosuppression, drug design /synthesis /production, enzyme inhibitor, heart transplantation, homologous transplantation, pentosyltransferase, transplant rejection
enzyme activity, free radical oxygen, nitric oxide, peroxynitrite, transcription factor
laboratory rat

Institution: INOTEK PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
100 CUMMINGS CTR, STE 419E
BEVERLY, MA 01915
Fiscal Year: 2002
Department:
Project Start: 01-MAY-2002
Project End: 30-APR-2003
ICD: NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, AND BLOOD INSTITUTE
IRG: ZRG1


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