Dr. Wee Yong, Dr. Chang-Chun Ling, and collaborators at the University of Calgary have generated a series of small molecules that inhibit the production of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs). In neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis, CSPGs are upregulated, which increases the immune response and acts as a barrier to remyelination. The novel glucosamine compounds are able to enhance oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC) growth, reduce T cell proliferation, and reduce CSPG production. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mice that were given the compounds showed reduced EAE clinical severity.
AREAS OF APPLICATION
- Multiple sclerosis
- Other potential areas of application:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Traumatic brain injury
- Stroke
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Huntington’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
- Neuroinflammatory diseases
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES
- A problem with current promising therapies for MS is that once CSPG is anchored onto a substrate, the CSPG inhibition of the morphological differentiation of OPCs cannot be reversed
- This technology:
- Inhibits CSPG biosynthesis and enables natural remyelination to take place
- The newly discovered compounds display greater potency and efficacy than current compounds in blocking CSPG biosynthesis
STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT
- Pre-clinical: In vitro and in vivo testing has been carried out
- Seeking a partnership for further pre-clinical validation of compounds
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- Patent application: US20210214384A1 – Fluorinated n-acetyl glucosamine analogs and xylose derivatives
- Researcher profile: Dr. V. Wee Yong
- Researcher profile: Dr. Chang-Chun Ling
PUBLICATIONS
- Stephenson, Erin L. et al. ACS Central Science 2019 5 (7), 1223-1234
- Keough, M., Rogers, J., Zhang, P. et al. Nat Commun 7, 11312 (2016).