Seeking Drug Candidates to Improve the Symptoms of NASH and Inhibit the Progression of Liver Fibrosis

EA Pharma Co. Ltd. wish to engage research that fulfils at least one of four requirements: 

1. The discovery of drug candidates that improve the symptoms of NASH

Our client seeks to identify drug candidates that can improve Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease Activity Score (NAS) (i.e., hepatocellular fatty change, infiltration of inflammatory cells, and hepatocellular ballooning) and inhibit the progression of liver fibrosis. Priorities will be given to drug candidates fulfilling one or more of the criteria below: 

• Those involved in bile acid sensing or in controlling enterohepatic circulation of bile acid 
• A mechanism of action (MOA) to correct the accumulation of lipotoxicity or cholesterol crystallization
• An MOA to correct mitochondrial damage, hypofunction, or dysfunction (e.g. up-regulate fatty acid or cholesterol metabolism)
• Therapeutic data of anti-fibrotic effects in the liver in an in vivo NASH model (estimation of such data also acceptable)
• A validated target, MOA, high activity and high safety (i.e., no cardiovascular events, not worsen lipid metabolism)

Example priority candidates: MLK3 inhibitor (kinase); Cathepsin B inhibitor (protease); TAZ-TEAD inhibitor (transcription factor); ACMSD inhibitor (enzyme); Ceramide synthase 6 inhibitor (enzyme)

Excluded candidates: Those targeting only inflammatory cells or hepatic stellate cells; existing drugs developed for NASH such as ASK1, GLP1, FXR agonists, or PPAR agonists; and combination drugs containing e.g. food constituents.

2. Technologies focused on delivering nucleic acids to cells that may be a therapeutic target for NASH

Examples of such cells include hepatic stellate cells, immune cells, and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC).

3. The development of novel, non-obese NASH animal models

Our client will prioritise animal models that reflect non-obese NASH or models that have a lifestyle disease (other than obesity) in addition to NASH. 

4. Technology focused on evaluating mitochondrial function

Our client seeks quantitative evaluation or visualisation of mitochondria function (e.g. Beta-oxidation) or mitochondrial ROS in living cells.