Drug to reduce harm from chlorine and bromine gas exposure
Novel lead compound advancement for mitigating halogen-induced mortality and morbidity.
A calpain-blocking drug is being developed to reduce lung and heart injury after chlorine or bromine gas exposure for people affected by these gases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11110463 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are developing a medicine that stops an enzyme called calpain, which over-activates after breathing chlorine or bromine gas. In laboratory rats they expose animals to these gases, then give candidate drugs and measure survival, heart and lung function, and enzyme activity. The team selects the most promising compounds from initial screens and studies dosing and timing to see how well the drug prevents damage. Successful preclinical results would support moving the lead compound toward human safety and treatment testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have recently inhaled chlorine or bromine gas in accidental, occupational, or environmental exposures and need emergency treatment would be the ideal candidates for eventual clinical testing.
Not a fit: People without halogen-gas inhalation injuries, those harmed by other toxicants, or those with unrelated chronic lung diseases are unlikely to benefit from this specific treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could produce an emergency antidote that reduces cardiopulmonary injury and deaths after chlorine or bromine gas inhalation.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal studies from the same group showed that calpain inhibitors reduced heart and lung damage and improved survival in rats, but human testing has not yet occurred.
Where this research is happening
Birmingham, United States
- University of Alabama at Birmingham — Birmingham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ahmad, Shama — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Ahmad, Shama
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.