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DURHAM, N.C., Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/
Praetego Inc, a preclinical stage pharmaceutical company committed to improving health outcomes for patients living with diabetes, is pleased to announce the approval of a 3 year $2.1M STTR grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health. The award advances the Company’s proprietary small molecules for the treatment of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN). This Phase 2 grant follows the successfully completed Phase 1 award from the NIDDK that identified potent drug candidates in the class of “Amadorins,” which are unique inhibitors of the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). AGE formation is well-established to be a causative factor underlying serious microvascular diabetic complications. Praetego is also pleased to initiate a new collaboration with sub-awardee Professor of Pathology, Nigel Calcutt PhD, of the School of Medicine, University of California at San Diego. Dr. Calcutt is a leading expert in preclinical studies of DPN.
Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy affects approximately half of the people living with diabetes. It causes numbness and/or pain to the extremities and can lead to foot ulcers and amputations. The U.S. market for treating painful DPN approached $5B in 2018. The annual cost of care is estimated at $90B. While there are FDA approved drugs to manage symptoms, there are none to limit disease progression.
Praetego’s Amadorin candidates are chemical protectants that limit disease progression in two ways. They interrupt AGE formation at the initial step of the oxidative breakdown of glycated proteins. By limiting downstream AGE production, they also empower the body’s innate defenses to protect it from oxidative stress. Both steps are vital to limiting complications of diabetes. The elucidation of the mechanisms of AGE formation and the discovery of the structure-activity relations (SAR) of Amadorin inhibitors have been a long-time focus of Praetego’s Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Raja G. Khalifah, who is the principal investigator on the grant.
Says Praetego CEO Pepper Landson, “The Amadorins offer hope for more than symptom management. By protecting diabetic patients from damage to their peripheral nervous system, they could live longer, healthier lives. More than extending life span, the Amadorins may improve health span. We are grateful to the NIDDK for providing critical support for this research.”
Praetego Inc is a preclinical stage pharmaceutical company committed to improving health outcomes in conditions and diseases related to glucose dysregulation. Our primary focus is serious diabetic complications, starting with Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy. Our novel small molecules inhibit a common pathway associated with diabetic microvascular disease. Founded in 2017, Praetego is a privately held company located in Durham, NC.
