Product Candidates - SSAO Inflammation Program

	Autoimmune Disease
	Riquent® for Lupus
	SSAO Inflammation Program

Product Candidates :: SSAO Inflammation Program

SSAO Inhibitors

Our scientists have generated highly selective inhibitors of SSAO, an enzyme that has been implicated in inflammatory responses in many tissues and organs. SSAO, also known as vascular adhesion protein-1 or VAP-1, was recently discovered to be a dual-function molecule with enzymatic and cell adhesion activities. SSAO on blood vessels contributes to inflammation by helping white blood cells leave the blood and penetrate inflamed tissue. The enzyme also contributes to the production of molecules that exacerbate inflammation, including formaldehyde and oxygen free radicals. SSAO inhibitors are designed to reduce inflammation by blocking the white blood cells and reducing the levels of inflammatory mediators.

Preclinical Studies

Increases in the levels of plasma or membrane-associated SSAO have been reported for many inflammation-associated diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, atherosclerosis psoriasis and chronic heart failure. In addition, treatment of animals with SSAO inhibitors has been shown to provide significant benefit in several inflammation-based diseases.

Data published by our scientists in 2005 and 2006 in peer-reviewed articles show that these novel, orally-active small molecule inhibitors of SSAO/VAP-1 may provide clinical benefit for the treatment of stroke, ulcerative colitis, and other autoimmune diseases and inflammatory disorders. Peer-reviewed data published in 2007 identified and characterized a lead compound and described its role in inhibiting inflammation in the lungs of rodents.