Shifa Biomedical Corporation (Shifa) is a privately held biopharmaceutical company structured around cost-effective development of drugs for treatment of cardiovascular disease. Operational since 2006, the firm is recognized for expertise in discovery of small molecule drugs, utilizing biochemical, cell-based, and virtual screening methods. Structured around molecular biology, biochemistry, crystallography and medicinal, computational and combinatorial chemistry firm's team of scientists have extensive expertise in drug discovery and early stage drug development organized around addressing an Unmet Need. With considerable advancements having been made in development of therapies to lower bad cholesterol, a significant number of patients are either unresponsive or experience concerning side effects with current treatment options, including statins. To address these concerns, more aggressive and selective targeted therapies are needed. A promising avenue for developing specific LDL-C lowering agents is the LDL receptor (LDLR) degradation pathway -- primarily mediated by the critical regulatory protein known as PCSK9. PCSK9 controls the degradation of the LDLR in the liver and thereby contributes to cholesterol homeostasis. Several strategies have been tried for targeting PCSK9. Most have focused on development of injectable biologics. The most successful approach is injection of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) that interfere with the function of PCSK9. To date, however, no orally bioavailable anti-PCSK9 drug has advanced to the clinic. The firm's principals have pursued proprietary approaches and identified an orally bioavailable, first-in-class small molecule lead compound, P-21 that interferes with the function of PCSK9. LOWER CHOLESTEROL: Shifas oral small molecule lead compound significantly lowers LDL-C; it is as potent as the injectable monoclonal anti
