Lipigon Collaborates with University of Washington on Lung Damage Project
As part of a newly formed partnership with Lipigon Pharmaceuticals, the University of Washington (UW) will receive material from Lipigon to perform advanced studies in lung damage models.
The goal is to verify the benefit of ANGPTL4 inhibition in animal models of lung infection and establish inhalation of the tool compound as a route of administration.
Lipigon conducts several drug development projects, one of which is aimed at treating community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). CAP is one of the most common reasons for hospital admission and can lead to complications such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a life-threatening condition associated with a decrease in lung function.
Lipigon's CAP project shares the target protein ANGPTL4 with Lipisense®, the company's most advanced project currently undergoing clinical trials.
The laboratories of Dr. Bill Altemeier and Dr. Pavan Bhatraju focus on the pathobiology of community-acquired pneumonia and acute lung injury and the role of endogenous activators of innate immunity and endothelial dysfunction.
"Community-acquired pneumonia is one of the most common causes of hospitalization, but we lack any therapeutics directed at the dysregulated host response to infection. Modulation of the ANGPTL4 pathway may prevent complications after bacterial or viral infections.
Testing Lipigon's molecule in pre-clinical models of lung infection is a significant step forward in identifying therapeutics for patients with community-acquired pneumonia," says Dr. Pavan Bhatraju, MD. MSc.
