Myosin-activating medicines for polycystic kidney disease
Targeting Myosin to Treat Polycystic Kidney Disease
Drugs that boost a cell motor protein called myosin aim to slow cyst growth in adults with polycystic kidney disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Plurexa LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11261679 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project is developing small molecules that activate non-muscle myosin II to reduce cyst formation in polycystic kidney disease from the patient perspective. The team uses human kidney organoids that mimic PKD cysts and tests candidate compounds in those mini-kidneys as well as in mouse models. Their pipeline combines computer-based drug design, lab biochemical assays, and in vivo studies to select promising NMII activators. The goal is to find safe compounds that could advance toward human clinical testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with polycystic kidney disease, including those with PC1 or PC2 mutations, would be the intended candidates for future trials.
Not a fit: People without PKD or whose disease is unrelated to myosin-driven mechanisms are unlikely to benefit from these myosin-targeting compounds.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a new medicine that slows or shrinks kidney cysts with fewer side effects than the only currently approved drug.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical studies and related cardiac myosin activator research support the approach and early lab and mouse results show reduced cyst growth, but human testing is still limited.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, UNITED STATES
- Plurexa LLC — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Freedman, Benjamin Solomon — Plurexa LLC
- Study coordinator: Freedman, Benjamin Solomon
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.