You are here

Small Molecule Anti-Fibrotic Therapy for Scleroderma

Award Information
Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Branch: National Institutes of Health
Contract: 1R43AR054996-01
Agency Tracking Number: AR054996
Amount: $215,956.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2007
Award Year: 2007
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
ANGION BIOMEDICA CORP 1050 Stewart Ave.
Garden City, NY 11530
United States
DUNS: 053129065
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 LATHA PAKA
 (516) 562-1278
 SPAKA@ANGION.COM
Business Contact
 ITXHAK GOLDBERG
Phone: (516) 326-1200
Email: igoldberg@angion.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Scleroderma or fibrosis of skin caused by a surplus of extracellular matrix protein (collagen) is localized in the skin, or excess collagen may be collected in the kidneys, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and heart. Scleroderma affects approximately 400,000 persons in the United States every year and according to research studies, annual direct and indirect costs of scleroderma in the United States are $1.5 billion. Morbidity represents the major cost burden, with costs of $819 million (56%) of total costs. The current value of lifetime earnings lost $179 million or $300,000 per death. Direct costs are $462 million (32%) or $4,731 per person annually, indicating that costs are spread over the long disease duration. Currently, there is no known cure and the exact cause remains unknown for scleroderma. Treatment options include, relieving or controlling symptoms. For example, corticosteroids and other immunosuppressive medications are being routinely employed, but have demonstrated only marginal efficacy. Hence there is a critical need for effective but affordable therapies. Recent studies have shown that Interferon-gamma (IFN) is a potential therapy for Scleroderma by inhibiting collagen synthesis. Other studies have shown that transfection of Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene to the bleomycin treated mice prevented the development of Scleroderma and lung fibrosis. While HGF, IFN gamma or other cytokine administration holds therapeutic promise, there are several drawbacks associated with gene therapy, recombinant proteins, or peptide therapy because of instability in solution, and cost-prohibitive production schemes. Angion Biomedica Corp. has identified a small molecule compound, termed Ang1170 that showed antifibrotic effects both in vitro and in vivo. Our preliminary data indicate that Ang1170 has the potential to decrease the expression of fibrotic markers in vitro and decreased pulmonary fibrosis in vivo. The proposed research project is designed to explore the possibility of developing Ang1170 as a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of Scleroderma. Dermal Fibrosis or Scleroderma, is a disease caused by a surplus of extracellular matrix protein localized in the skin, or it may become systemic with excess collagen collecting in the kidneys, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and heart. Scleroderma affects approximately 400,000 people in the United States every year. There is no known cure for Scleroderma and the exact cause remains unknown. The objective of this application is to evaluate a lead small-molecule drug candidate in clinically relevant models of Scleroderma to develop sufficient data to continue SBIR Phase II studies.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

US Flag An Official Website of the United States Government