SphynKx Therapeutics LLC is a privately held biotechnology company addressing development and commercialization of novel therapies for the treatment of fibrosis. Nearly 45% of deaths in the United States can be attributed to disorders with a significant fibrotic component, yet there are no FDA-approved therapies to treat this pathology. Fibrosis is characterized by abnormal wound healing in response to chronic tissue injury. This wound healing gone awry leads to the accumulation of scar tissue, disruption of tissue architecture, and ultimately organ failure. Examples of fibrotic diseases include chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is widely recognized as a key regulator of many of the cellular processes that promote wound healing and fibrogenesis. These processes include fibroblast and immune cell migration, vascular leak, proliferation, angiogenesis, and TGF-β signaling. S1P signals through G protein coupled receptors (S1P1-5) and its formation is catalyzed by sphingosine kinases (SphK1 and SphK2).
