BURLINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cardurion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Cardurion” or “the Company”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of novel, next-generation therapeutics for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, today announced that the Company will present preclinical data on its Calcium/Calmodulin-dependent Protein Kinase II (CaMKII) inhibitor program at the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2023. Cardurion is the first company to evaluate a CaMKII inhibitor in clinical testing.
The Company will present data on two of its highly selective and potent CaMKII inhibitors, CRD-2015 and CRD-2959, in a preclinical model of heart failure. Among the key data points:
- CRD-2015 and CRD-2959 both inhibit CaMKII-mediated phosphorylation of phospholamban and the ryanodine receptor, two wellknown myocardial CaMKII targets, in cells and in rats in vivo.
- Both CaMKII inhibitors prolonged survival in the calsequestrin transgenic heart failure model, which is characterized by a severe dilated cardiomyopathy and early mortality.
The study was conducted by Cardurion’s cardiovascular research group in Shonan, Japan, led by Shota Ikeda, PhD.
“These strong results demonstrate the successful creation of specific CaMKII inhibitors with preclinical efficacy and provide further support for the clinical development of our lead CaMKII inhibitors for the treatment of heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases,” said Howard K. Surks, M.D., Chief Medical and Scientific Officer of Cardurion. “These preclinical data underscore the enthusiasm that we have for the significant potential of this novel mechanism, and we look forward to making continued progress with human testing and studying select patient populations in the near term.”
CaMKII has been a target of longstanding interest in cardiovascular drug development, based on the critical role of hyper-activated CaMKII in the pathogenesis of heart failure and several arrhythmic diseases, as demonstrated in multiple preclinical studies.
Cardurion is currently conducting a Phase 1 clinical trial of its lead CaMKII inhibitor and is initiating a Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT), a rare genetic arrhythmic disease. The Company next plans to expand this research into more common cardiovascular diseases, such as heart failure and atrial fibrillation.
Details of the science session are as follows:
- Title: Novel, Potent, and Highly Selective Calcium/calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II (CaMKII) Inhibitors Reduce Substrate Phosphorylation in Rat Hearts and Prolong Survival in a Mouse Model of Severe Heart Failure
- Session: Future of Lipid Lowering Therapy – Novel Mechanisms and Approaches
- Date and Time: Sunday, November 12, 2023, between 4:00-4:10 PM ET
- Location: Pennsylvania convention center room 120B
About Cardurion Pharmaceuticals
Cardurion is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of novel, next-generation therapeutics for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Cardurion was founded by physician-scientists with world-class expertise in cardiovascular signaling pathways, and a shared passion to find and develop a pipeline of novel treatment options to improve the lives of patients. Cardurion has two groundbreaking clinical programs in development, a PDE9 program targeting heart failure and the first ever CaMKII inhibitor in clinical development targeting multiple CV indications.
Cardurion Pharmaceuticals has facilities in Burlington, Massachusetts and Shonan, Japan. For more information, please visit the company’s website at https://cardurion.com.
