Lydex Pharmaceuticals is working towards development of next-generation inhibitors for multiple diseases. The team is initially tackling investigation and developments of compounds targeting the key enzymes responsible for organ damage, inflammation and rejection after transplant. The effort is to develop a novel approach to preventing reperfusion-related organ damage after liver transplant. Lydex Pharmaceuticals is developing compounds - known as histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors - to help prevent ischemia-reperfusion injury. Normally investigated for their potency as anti-cancer drugs, these inhibitors affect the level of gene expression within a cell. Lydex and MUSC researchers have shown that targeting specific HDAC enzymes within the liver markedly reduces both inflammation and tissue damage after reperfusion.Normally, HDAC inhibitors are potent but have potential toxic effects as they hit unintended enzymes within the cell. The lead compound in development by Lydex promises high potency while also doing a better job of targeting only the enzymes involved in ischemia-reperfusion injury, which greatly minimizes the risk of toxic effects.
