New drugs targeting paxillin and FAK to slow liver scarring
Official title: Novel Paxillin-FAK Inhibitors for the Treatment of Liver Fibrosis
Funded at Faknostics, LLC · NIH-11249902 · Data updated 2026-11-12
New medicines that block the paxillin and FAK proteins are being developed to slow or reverse liver scarring in adults with alcoholic liver disease and related chronic liver conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Faknostics, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Phoenix, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $663,777 |
| NIH project number | 4R42DK141379-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11249902 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (typically 21 and older) with alcoholic liver disease or other chronic liver diseases who have measurable liver fibrosis but are not in immediate liver failure would be the most likely candidates for future trials.
✕Less likely to help
People with end-stage decompensated cirrhosis needing urgent transplant, children, or those with liver disease not driven by hepatic stellate cell–mediated fibrosis are unlikely to benefit from this therapy.
What this research studies
Scientists at a small company are designing and optimizing drugs that block paxillin and FAK, two proteins that activate scar-producing cells in the liver. They will test these compounds in cells and in animal models to see if they prevent hepatic stellate cells from forming excess scar tissue. The team aims to improve on earlier FAK inhibitors, which had only partial effects, by targeting paxillin-FAK interactions and refining drug properties. If the lab and animal results are promising, the best compounds will be advanced toward safety studies needed before human trials.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these drugs could slow or reverse liver fibrosis, lowering the risk of cirrhosis, liver cancer, and need for liver transplantation.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical animal studies have shown that reducing paxillin or inhibiting FAK can lessen fibrosis, but existing FAK-kinase inhibitors produced only partial effects, so this program builds on promising yet incomplete preclinical data.
Where this research is happening
-
Faknostics, LLC
Phoenix, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Marlowe, Timothy a — Faknostics, LLC
- Study coordinator: Marlowe, Timothy a
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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.