The goal of this company, Gradient Therapy, is to develop therapeutics for the treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The aim is to formulate compounds from a class of chemotactic peptides, to be delivered rectally to the GI tract and to be tested in animals. A rabbit colitis model is to be used in the proposal. Treatment groups will be assessed for clinical response, with histologic and biochemical parameters used. The goal is to obtain a specific peptide and dose for a Phase I human trial and to produce adequate stable quantities of the test compound. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: The proposed commercial application of the chemotactic peptides is to treat the acute and chronic manifestations of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, specifically Crohn's Disease and ulcerative colitis.
