NIH-funded research R01 grant

Epac1 and lung scarring in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Official title: Role of Epac1 in the Pathogenesis of Pulmonary Fibrosis

Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11397242 · Data updated 2026-11-12

Looks at whether blocking a protein called Epac1 can reduce lung scarring in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

More Fibrosis research and trials

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionIcahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (New York, United States)
Project startApril 1, 2022
Project endMarch 31, 2027
Funding year2026
Award (this year)$422,500
NIH project number5R01HL158998-05
Project IDNIH-11397242 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Ideal candidates would be people diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis who can provide lung tissue or cells or who may be eligible for future clinical testing of Epac1-targeting therapies.

Less likely to help

People without IPF or those with very advanced respiratory failure are unlikely to benefit directly from this preclinical-focused work.

What this research studies

If you have IPF, this project is looking at a protein called Epac1 that is higher in damaged lungs and lung cells from patients. Researchers will use patient lung tissue and cells, along with mouse models of lung fibrosis, to see how Epac1 drives scarring. They will test a drug called AM-001 that specifically blocks Epac1 in lab and animal experiments to see if scarring and harmful cell changes are reduced. The goal is to find whether Epac1 could become a new target for future treatments for people with IPF.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to a new way to slow or reverse lung scarring in IPF and lead to future drug testing in patients.

How similar studies have gone: Targeting cAMP pathways has shown promise in lab studies, but selectively blocking Epac1 with AM-001 is a newer approach with preclinical support in heart models and limited testing so far in lung disease.

Where this research is happening

  • Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
    New York, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Hadri, Lahouaria — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
  • Study coordinator: Hadri, Lahouaria

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.