Chaperone Technologies, Inc. To Collaborate With Department of Health and Human Services And National Institutes of Health (NIH); Novel Antimicrobials Target Drug-Resistant Infections
Chaperone Technologies develops therapies for difficult-to-treat and drug resistant human bacterial infections through inhibition of Dnak, a novel bacterial target. DnaK is a vital bacterial structure that is responsible for correcting misshapen proteins, a necessary step in the life of the pathogen. When the bacterial DnaK is blocked, it is prevented from performing its critical role in the pathogen’s lifecycle, thereby killing the bacteria. As the binding site of Chaperone’s compounds is distinct from mammalian targets, this suggests that the company’s compounds will be well tolerated by humans---and may offer a potent mechanism of action to which infectious diseases have not developed resistance.
In cooperation with the NIH’s Molecular Libraries Screening Center Network, the collaboration involves formatting Chaperone’s drug discovery assay system to enable high-throughput screening and potentially identify new drug leads that inhibit bacterial DnaK. “This collaboration with the NIH not only furthers validation of the DnaK target,” says Kenneth E Kovan, CEO & President of Chaperone Technologies, “but helps translate our screening technology into a valuable high-throughput commercial tool. It is possible that we may see ’hits‘ that represent new antimicrobials.” Chaperone is working through the NIH’s Molecular Libraries Screening Center Network established at Emory University on this program.
Chaperone’s early investors include the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Life Science Greenhouse of Central Pennsylvania, Innovation Philadelphia, private investors, and funding from the United States Department of Defense.
Chaperone is targeting drug-resistant gram negative infections often acquired during hospital stays and in military field facilities, such as surgical wounds, war wound infections, respiratory infections and complicated urinary tract infections. In collaboration with the US Army, the company has a program which is progressing development of DnaK inhibitors in combination with quinolone antimicrobials to target selected Category A biowarfare pathogens.
About Chaperone Technologies, Inc Founded in 2002, Chaperone Technologies Inc. applies its expertise in DnaK molecular chaperones, bacterial target analysis, medicinal chemistry, and screening technologies to develop novel products for infectious diseases. The company’s focus is on difficult-to-treat and drug-resistant bacterial pathogens, including selected Category A biowarfare agents. Chaperone’s research & development activities are located in Scranton, PA and administrative offices are located in Malvern, PA. For more information go to www.chaperonetechnologies.com