Progress in treatments for liver disease
Researchers in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences were awarded Enterprise Ireland funding of 400,000 Euro to develop hepatoprotective compounds discovered in John Gilmer’s lab. The project sees Gilmer collaborate with gastroenterologist and scientist Carlos Medina also in the School as well as TCD Medicine professors Padraic Fallon and Aideen Long.
The project is designed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of the lead compounds to treat sclerosing cholangitis, a rare but devastating condition for which there is no treatment. The EI project will also investigate treatment of fatty liver disease and its complication, NASH, conditions which are becoming very prevalent because of the obesity epidemic.
The compounds have a highly novel mechanism of action and a wide range of potential applications. These range from treatment of neurodegenerative disorders to cell therapy and formulation of biologic medicines.