HBI-002 to prevent painful sickle cell crises
Official title: HBI-002 to Prevent Vaso-Occlusive Crises in Sickle Cell Disease
Funded at Hillhurst Biopharmaceuticals, INC. · NIH-11073056 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small oral medicine that delivers tiny amounts of carbon monoxide to help people with sickle cell disease have fewer painful vaso-occlusive crises.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hillhurst Biopharmaceuticals, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Montrose, United States) |
| Project start | April 7, 2016 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $999,718 |
| NIH project number | 5R44HL131065-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11073056 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people living with sickle cell disease who experience recurrent vaso-occlusive (painful) crises and are eligible for outpatient investigational therapies.
✕Less likely to help
People without sickle cell disease or those whose symptoms are not driven by vaso-occlusive crises are unlikely to benefit from this treatment.
What this research studies
You would take an oral drug called HBI-002 that releases very low doses of carbon monoxide intended to reduce red blood cell sickling and calm inflammation. The research builds on animal studies and early human work showing improvements in blood markers and reduced vascular problems. During the program participants would have regular clinic visits for blood tests, symptom tracking, and safety monitoring. The team will watch for changes in pain episodes, hemolysis markers, and any side effects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this treatment could lower the number and severity of painful vaso-occlusive crises and reduce related complications for people with sickle cell disease.
How similar studies have gone: Related low-dose carbon monoxide approaches have shown promising results in transgenic sickle cell mouse models and early-phase human studies, including biomarker improvements and acceptable tolerability in multiple Phase 1/2 trials.
Where this research is happening
-
Hillhurst Biopharmaceuticals, INC.
Montrose, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gomperts, Edward — Hillhurst Biopharmaceuticals, INC.
- Study coordinator: Gomperts, Edward
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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.