Chaperone’s antimicrobial program focuses on development of peptide as well as small molecule hsp70 inhibitor drugs that block the effect of this important class of molecular “chaperones” whose role is to help mediate or respond to toxic misfolded proteins within bacteria. Inhibition of this critical bacterial protein has been proven to kill bacterial pathogens. Besides antimicrobials, the inhibition of hsp70 molecular chaperone proteins present in other cell-types has a range of therapeutic applications that are being investigated by the company.
Chaperone’s discovery adds to its current portfolio of low weight peptide hsp70 inhibitors, and opens the door to the possibility of orally delivered formulations of this emerging family of therapeutics.
Using sophisticated computerized molecular modeling techniques, proprietary high-throughput screening tools developed by Chaperone and other approaches, the company has significantly expanded its library of novel hsp70 inhibitor compounds including CHP-267 and CHP-281, just two of the many promising drug candidates from this highly promising family of small molecule inhibitors discovered by the Company
Dr. Michael A. Sturgess, VP of Research & Development for Chaperone Technologies says “I am tremendously excited by the rapid progress made by Chaperone’s scientists in a relatively short period of time. Our expanding knowledge of hsp70 inhibitors has placed us arguably as the leader in this important field.”
The Company is working on a range of small molecule and other low molecular weight hsp70 inhibitors and is closing in on drug candidates for subsequent human testing. “Although at an early stage in the overall process of drug development, we are excited about the emerging potency and long half-life of these drug candidates,” says Sturgess. The company has already filed a patent application on this family of compounds, and is continuing drug optimization and lead selection activities.
Chaperone is looking at hsp70 inhibitors as stand alone antimicrobial agents as well as in combination with other antimicrobials. The company recently received a US Patent covering a method of significantly amplifying the effectiveness of other antimicrobials by combining their use with that of an hsp70 inhibitor. Combining a bacterial hsp70 inhibitor with another antimicrobial yields increased bacterial killing of clinically important pathogens and the potential for combination therapy. At a time when bacterial resistance to existing antimicrobial agents is increasing, the development of more effective agents is especially important. “Effective bacterial killing using such combination therapies provides unique opportunities to minimize the mutation of bacteria, the spread of resistant strains, and also lower the side effects present in some current antimicrobials” says Chaperone’s President & CEO Kenneth E. Kovan,
Chaperone is also currently working with the Department of Defense to explore the use of hsp70 protein inhibitors against Category A biothreat agents.
About Chaperone Technologies, Inc.
Chaperone Technologies Inc. develops novel antimicrobials that target cellular hsp70 proteins for difficult-to-treat and drug-resistant organisms across a broad range of infectious diseases. The company is pursuing combination treatments and monotherapies for hospital acquired infections such as those from surgical wounds, respiratory and urinary tract infections, and has a program with the Department of Defense to develop therapeutics for use against selected biowarfare pathogens. Some of Chaperone’s research on synergistic antimicrobial combinations is published in the most recent issue of Antimicrobial Agents & Chemotherapy, the journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
Chaperone’s research and development activities are conducted in East Stroudsburg, PA, and administrative offices are located in Radnor, PA. For more information visit www.chaperonetechnologies.com or call the Company at (610) 977-0888.