About
Vasculonics is pioneering the development of therapeutic platform targeting inflammatory and fibrotic disease. Our Selective Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor Modulator (SAhRM) chemical series is a first in class disease modifying drug for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic kidney disease (CKD).
In addition, our molecule has been found to reduce body weight by increasing adipose energy metabolism, a mechanism distinct from GLP-1. Our SAhRM molecule modulates inflammation and represents a promising novel immunotherapy adjunct to the checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of pancreatic and other cancers.
Company Timeline
2017- Founded
2019- SBIR Phase I Award
A Novel Therapeutic DDAH for the Treatment of Acute Kidney Injury
2020- SBIR Phase I Award
Preclinical Development of a Novel Disease Modifying Therapy for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
2020- NHILB Catalyze Award
Synthesis New Compounds and Lead Optimization of Small Molecule DDAH-1 Modulator
2021- BARDA Blue Knight QuickFire Winner
2024- SBIR Phase II Award
Development of a Novel Disease Modifying Oral Therapy for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
> $5 million grants awarded
Science and Technology
Selective Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Modulators (SAhRM)
AhR is known to play important pathological roles in inflammatory and fibrotic diseases [1,2]. AhR activation has been found essential for PAH progression in humans and animal models [3].
Vasculonics is developing novel selective aryl hydrocarbon receptor modulators (SAhRM) and suppressor of vascular toxin asymmetric dimethyl arginine (ADMA) the critical pathological mechanisms of PAH.
VN-1032 is a novel SAhRM with major impact on the mechanisms of inflammation, oxidative stress and fibrosis.
VN-1032 has demonstrated disease modifying efficacy in a PAH and CKD disease progression models when delivered as an oral formulation.
1. Beischlag TV., et al. Crit. Rev. Eukaryot. Gene Expr. 2008, 18 (3), 207–250.
2. Perdew GH., et al. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24 (6).
3. Masaki T., et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2021, 118 (11), e2023899118.
VN-1032 reduced (A) kidney, (B) cardiac fibrosis in rat model of CKD.
VN-1032 reduced (A) remodeling of lung vessels, (B) reduced lung inflammation in Sugen-Hypoxia PAH model.
Team Members
Jaipal Singh, PhD
CSO & Founder
Brad Lawson
CEO
Anantha Shekhar, MD, PhD
Co-Founder, SAB
Young Lee, PhD
Project Leader
Vijay Reddy, PhD, DABT
SVP, Toxicology
Raymond Kauffman, PhD
Pharmacology Advisor
Srinivas Kasibhatla, PhD
Chemistry Advisor
Douglas Balogh, PhD
FDA Regulatory Affairs / CMC Advisor
Robert Bacallao, MD
Chief Medical Advisor
Advisory Board
Michael Ackermann, PhD, MBA
Former VP Neuroscience at Lilly, Former SVP IQVIA, Founder of Solas Partners
Andrew Dahlem, PhD
Founder of Gate Neurosciences, former COO of Lilly Research Labs
Mark Geraci, MD
Vice Chancellor for Research, Vice Dean and Professor of Medicine, UPMC
Mark Heiman, PhD
Research Fellow and former Chief Scientific Officer of Obesity for Lilly
Andy Lee
Former SVP, Global Head Clinical Trials for Merck, Sanofi, and Pfizer