New compounds with senolytic activity

# Record card
137
Thematic areas
Health & Biotech
Health & Biotech / Micro and nanotechnology related to biological sciences
Health & Biotech / Bio-medicals
Health & Biotech / New therapies
Health & Biotech / Nanomedicine
Health & Biotech / Development of new drugs
Description

With the advent of senolytic agents, capable of selectively removing senescent cells in “aged” tissues, the perception of age-associated diseases has changed from being an inevitable to a preventable phenomenon of human life. The present invention is part of this research topic with the identification of molecules with potential pro-apoptotic activity, specifically with senolytic activity. The computational approach adopted, is based on combining ligand-base and structure-based virtual screening. The in vitro assays have been carried out by developing a senescence model through serial passages of primary human fetal lung cells IMR90. In particular, 14 molecules, identified by virtual screening, revealed a higher, lower or absent pro-apoptotic activity in senescent cells and no effect in cell populations with lower number of passages. Of this series, two compounds revealed a marked senolytic capacity in vitro, reducing the aging population by about 50% in the first 48 hours of exposure to the drug. The compounds are now under evaluation in vivo, in an aging modelcarried out in mice older than 24 months.

Business fields
Industry
Type of innovation
Product innovation
Description of innovative features / Competitive advantages

The molecules of interest fall within the topic of senolytic agents, ie compounds that kill the senescent cells within living organisms. Other senolytic agents are known in the literature which share the putative molecular target of the molecules considered in this invention, namely the Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90). The molecules we have identified as potential senolytic drugs have the advantage of selectively promoting programmed death (apoptosis) and the inhibition of replication potential in the cellular senescence model adopted. They also showed reduced toxicity when compared with known compounds, using in vitro models. We have begun in vivo studies and will soon have information about the toxicity and efficacy of the compounds of interest in an aging model carried out in mice.

Reference market
Total innovation
Creation of new markets
Development stage
Feasibility
TRL
4
Advantages
New product/process/service/technology
Patented technology
Yes
Country/ies

Italy

Technology validation/demonstration
Internal validation
Market positioning
Italian
European
International
Partner required
Enteprise
Seed capital
Cooperation in national /european / international project

Information
For more information and/or to be put in contact with the Research Team, please contact the Project Manager:

Barbara Angelini - Project Manager
CNR - Unità Valorizzazione della Ricerca
Phone number 06.49932415
E-mail barbara.angelini@cnr.it