Wednesday, July 16, 2025 7/16/2025

Selective inhibitors of ubiquitin E3 ligase to treat high cholesterol

Award Number: R44ES025600
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/19/2011
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2017

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Selective inhibitors of ubiquitin E3 ligase to treat high cholesterol - DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Hypercholesterolemia is a major risk factor in cardiovascular diseases; it is estimated that >35 million individuals in the U.S. (or one-sixth of the adult population) have high total cholesterol and thus twice the risk of heart disease compared to those with optimal cholesterol levels. While statins are widely prescribed for cholesterol lowering, their serious side effect profile makes the risk/benefit consideration an important factor in a physician's decision to prescribe them. In addition, single agent statins are susceptible to the development of resistance in patients. Thus a need exists for new drugs that differ from statins in their therapeutic mechanisms; such drugs used singly have the potential to cause fewer side effects than statins but, more important, they could be used in combination with existing agents to prevent facile development of resistance. Nearly all cholesterol lowering drugs are directed at increasing the activity of the LDL Receptor (LDLR), which is primarily responsible for clearing cholesterol from the serum; this physiological endpoint can be achieved through a number of biochemically distinct mechanisms. Progenra's Phase I therapeutic hypothesis proposed to increase LDLR activity by maximizing its population utilizing the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, a novel area for drug discovery. The posited therapeutic target, Idol, is a RING finger E3-ubiquitin ligase that conjugates ubiquitin to the LDLR on its cytoplasmic domain, resulting in its subsequent degradation; inhibitors of this ligase would effectively increase the average levels of LDLR. The pharmacologic outcome would be a reduction is the serum cholesterol level, and LDLR up-regulation is an established approach for cholesterol lowering. In fact, a recent study demonstrated increased LDLR in mouse Idol-knockout models. An Idol inhibitor would accomplish this therapeutic step by a completely novel mechanism. In addition, a selective inhibitor of Idol would be likely to produce minimal side effects. In Phase I, therefore, a high throughput screening assay for inhibitors of Idol was established and validated, and a screen was conducted on a set of small molecules. Several suitable hits were obtained in this screen. In Phase II it is proposed to perform chemical optimization on hits validated for potency and selectivity and initiate preclinical development of selected optimized analogues using (1) biochemical and cell-based secondary assays; and (2) animal models of drug metabolism/pharmacokinetic properties and LDL clearance (efficacy). The purpose of Phase II is to identify potent and selective compounds with efficacy as cholesterol-lowering therapeutic agents.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2018 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2018	2015	PROGENRA, INC	277 GREAT VALLEY PKWY	MALVERN	PA	19355	CHESTER	USA	Environmental Health	000	3	12/5/2017	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2015 ( Subtotal = $611,663 )
2015	2015	PROGENRA INC	271 GREAT VALLEY PARKWAY	MALVERN	PA	19355	CHESTER	USA	Environmental Health	000	3	8/6/2015	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$611,663
														Subtotal = $611,663

Issue Date FY: 2014 ( Subtotal = $611,663 )
2014	2014	PROGENRA INC	271 GREAT VALLEY PARKWAY	MALVERN	PA	19355	CHESTER	USA	Environmental Health	000	2	9/22/2014	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$611,663
														Subtotal = $611,663

Grand Total All Awards = $1,223,326

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Selective inhibitors of ubiquitin E3 ligase to treat high cholesterol

Award Number: R44ES025600

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/19/2011

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2017

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer