New medicines to block the collagen enzyme that causes organ scarring
Official title: Platform technology to identify and develop first-in-class anti-fibrotic therapeutics through inhibition of collagen CP4H
Funded at Adiutrix Therapeutics · NIH-11194615 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Developing drugs that stop harmful scarring in lungs, skin, kidneys, and intestines by blocking an enzyme needed to make collagen.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Adiutrix Therapeutics NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 17, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,027,583 |
| NIH project number | 4R42HL176297-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11194615 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with progressive fibrotic conditions such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, scleroderma-related skin fibrosis, chronic kidney disease–related kidney fibrosis, or intestinal fibrosis from Crohn's disease would be the eventual candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without fibrotic disease or whose scarring is driven by unrelated mechanisms may not benefit from this CP4H-targeted approach.
What this research studies
This project builds a drug-discovery platform to find compounds that inhibit CP4H, an enzyme involved in collagen production that drives scarring. Researchers will use laboratory assays and animal models to test candidate molecules for their ability to reduce collagen formation and fibrosis. Promising compounds will be optimized for potency and safety before moving toward human testing. The goal is treatments that could work across multiple fibrotic diseases where current options are limited.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these drugs could slow or stop organ scarring, reduce symptoms, lower the need for transplants, and improve survival and quality of life for people with fibrotic diseases.
How similar studies have gone: Approved drugs like pirfenidone and nintedanib modestly slow fibrosis but have limits, and targeting CP4H is a novel strategy that has little prior clinical testing.
Where this research is happening
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Adiutrix Therapeutics
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lennox, Ronald William — Adiutrix Therapeutics
- Study coordinator: Lennox, Ronald William
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.