Project description
New drugs that can reach the brain
Treatment of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease requires drugs that can reach the brain. However, the blood-brain barrier poses a significant obstacle to most treatments to date. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the NeuroFerro project will focus on the development of compounds that can cross the blood-brain barrier and inhibit ferroptosis in afflicted neurons. Ferroptosis is a type of cell death characterised by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. In the brain, lipid peroxidation is linked to the pathophysiology of neurodegeneration. The improved pharmacokinetics of the NeuroFerro inhibitors will provide new treatment options to patients suffering from neurological or neurodegenerative disorders.
Objective
FERROptosis inhibitors for NEUROdegenerative disorders (NeuroFerro) will focus on the development of potent compounds with improved pharmacokinetic properties, including blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability for future application in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. Ferroptosis is non-apoptotic programmed cell death that has been linked to the pathophysiological processes of many diseases, including dementia, Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Neurological disorders are one of the most significant causes of disability-adjusted life-years and death worldwide with very limited treatment available. Although ferroptosis inhibitors developed by Augustyns and Vanden Berghe (supervisors) are currently best in class compounds, they suffer from no or minor BBB permeability. Therefore the main aim of the project will be the design and synthesis of novel ferroptosis inhibitors with improved pharmacokinetic parameters and high blood-brain barrier permeability to target ferroptosis in neurodegenerative disorders.
Fields of science
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineneurologydementiaalzheimer
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinemedicinal chemistry
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmacokinetics
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineneurologyparkinson
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineneurologyamyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European FellowshipsCoordinator
2000 Antwerpen
Belgium