The Development of a Macromolecular Dexamethasone Prodrug for the Treatment of Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS)
Abstract
This proposed research project directly relates to the following FY21 PRMRP topic area: Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Specifically, the proposed project addresses one of the FY21 PRMRP areas of encouragement: Development of a curative therapy or treatments to delay or halt the progression of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and/or prevent post-transplantation recurrence. FSGS is a disease in which scar tissue develops on glomeruli, the tiny filtering units inside the kidney where blood is cleaned. FSGS is a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure, for which the only treatment options are dialysis or kidney transplant. Currently, there is no Food Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug to treat FSGS. Clinically, glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely used to control the disease progression. The long-term use of GCs, however, can cause multiple severe adverse effects, such as osteopenia, weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, and increased risk of infection. Therefore, there is an urgent unmet clinical need for effective GC formulations with reduced systemic toxicity. In this application, we propose to develop and optimize a novel polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based dexamethasone (Dex, a potent glucocorticoid) prodrug nanomedicine that has been uniquely engineered to specifically target Dex to the kidney. This novel nanomedicine design will lead to the development of a new, safer, and more effective GC treatment for FSGS, while avoiding GC-associated adverse side effects.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Dec 28, 2022
- Source ID
- W81XWH2210176
Entities
People
- Dong Wang
Organizations
- United States Army
- University of Nebraska Medical Center