Seeking Druggable Targets in Progressive Fibrosing Interstitial Lung Disease or Pulmonary Hypertension

Johnson & Johnson, a global pharmaceutical company with cutting-edge capabilities in drug development and a history of successful academic collaborations, wishes to identify druggable targets in progressive fibrosing interstitial lung disease (PF‑ILD), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and pulmonary hypertension (PH). 

Research Interests

1. IPF/PF-ILDs

• Opportunities that offer the potential for clinical translation 
• Mechanism of actions that reduce fibrosis by targeting TGF‑b signalling without the risk of inflammation, target activation, function of myofibroblast/fibroblast or enhance tissue regeneration

2. Pulmonary Hypertension

• Pulmonary hypertension all groups (Group 1-5) are within scope, with a particular interest in groups 1 and 3
• Opportunities that offer the potential for clinical translation
• Mechanisms of actions that target vascular remodelling, senescence or proliferation with a link to human disease (protein, mRNA etc)

Developmental Stages of Interest

• Research at basic level through to clinical phase II is within scope
• Validation through cell or animal models is encouraged

Out of Scope

• Agents for IPF/PF-ILD that primarily act via targeting ROS, inflammation or non-specific TGFb inhibition that would be predicted to result in inflammation
• Agents for PH that act primarily through vasodilation and/or coagulation 

Jurisdictions of Interest

Only submissions from universities and research institutions in Europe, Africa and the Middle East will be considered.

Submission Information

Submission of one-page research briefs (approx 200 ‑ 300 words) plus any extra applicable information is encouraged.