Finding New Ways to Treat Brain Artery Malformations

EndMT as a target to treat human brain arteriovenous malformations

['FUNDING_R21'] · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON · NIH-11125848

This project aims to find new medicine for brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs), which are tangled blood vessels in the brain that can cause bleeding.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R21']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorUNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON (nih funded)
Locations1 site (HOUSTON, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11125848 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

Brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs) are serious and can lead to dangerous bleeding in the brain, with current treatments mostly relying on risky surgeries. This project explores a new idea: a process called EndMT, which makes blood vessels weak, might be a key cause of bAVMs. Researchers will look at human bAVM samples and use special mouse models to understand how EndMT and certain genetic changes contribute to these malformations. The goal is to discover new medicines that can stop or reverse this process, offering a non-surgical treatment option.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Patients with brain arteriovenous malformations, especially those at high risk of bleeding or for whom surgery is not ideal, could potentially benefit from future treatments developed from this research.

Not a fit: Patients without brain arteriovenous malformations would not directly benefit from this specific research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to the first non-surgical drug treatments for brain arteriovenous malformations, offering a safer option for patients.

How similar studies have performed: While EndMT has been identified as a feature in human bAVMs, using it as a direct target for pharmacologic treatment is a novel and exploratory approach.

Where this research is happening

HOUSTON, UNITED STATES

Researchers

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 below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 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.