This technology comprises a collection of small-molecule inhibitors of FOXO1, designed to treat diabetes and related metabolic disorders by modulating beta cell conversion for enhanced insulin production.
Current diabetes therapies rely on insulin supplementation without treating the root cause of insulin deficiency. In the gastrointestinal tract, selective deletion or inhibition of the transcription factor FOXO1 has been shown to convert enteroendocrine cells into beta cells, which are glucose-responsive insulin-producing cells. Targeted differentiation of insulin-producing cells can address the lack of natural insulin production that causes diabetes.
This technology describes a collection of small-molecule compounds that selectively inhibit FOXO1 to treat diabetes with metabolic stability. FOXO1 inhibition has been shown to induce the differentiation of enteroendocrine progenitor cells into insulin-producing beta cells. The generation of new beta cells has the potential to restore the body's natural production of insulin. Furthermore, the large number of FOXO1 inhibitors generated by this technology enables the optimization of drug development for both strong efficacy and safety.
Patent Pending (US 20230416228)
IR CU24187
Licensing Contact: Cynthia Lang