Products
Erythropoietin Synthesis Pathway: Reduced erythropoietin levels or reduced epo activity can lead to anemia. The first drug development program, based on the Hypoxia Inducible Factor HIF prolyl hydroxylase target, produced orally active compounds that increase endogenous erythropoietin production in animals. These compounds will be developed initially for treatment of anemia and related disease conditions. The inhibition of the prolyl hydroxylase enzyme provides a potentially safer mechanism to elevate EPO levels than injectable EPO protein. Gradually increasing endogenous EPO levels utilizing the prolyl hydroxylase drug mechanism may remove or reduce some of the safety issues associated with large doses of exogenous EPO protein.
Angiogenesis Pathway: Reduced collateral blood flow and the absence of angiogenesis can lead to patients presenting with limb ischemia and a subsequent diagnosis of peripheral artery disease (PAD). The specific phosphatase targeted in this program is known to mediate the signaling of Tie2 and VEGF, two of the natural growth factors for angiogenesis. Targeting this specific pathway will augment these signals in hypoxic tissue and increase vessel growth and collateralization of lower limbs generating a novel treatment approach for PAD. The phosphatase program targets the HPTPβ phosphatase enzyme with several classes of compounds already developed that have demonstrated improved collateral blood flow in an ischemic animal model. The clinical success of a phosphatase inhibitor will be a “first in industry” event and will open the phosphatase family of enzymes as targets for pharmaceutical development. Akebia has identified other phosphatase targets linked to other disease indications, which will be pursued after clinical trials with the first compound are underway.
