New small-molecule immune medicines to help treat inflammatory bowel disease
Optimization of small molecule immunomodulators as combination therapy for IBD
Looking at whether new pill-form immune drugs that target two immune signals (CD28 and ICOS) can be combined to help people with inflammatory bowel disease who do not respond well to current therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11303324 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use a platform called SMAPs to design small molecules that bind immune receptors involved in IBD, aiming to mimic the effects of protein drugs without the same immune reactions. They will optimize these compounds for potency, selectivity, and manageable drug levels in the body. The team will test candidates in lab assays and animal models to check how well they block CD28 and ICOS signaling and whether combinations work better than single agents. Successful leads would move toward safety testing and eventual clinical trials in people with IBD.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis who have had inadequate or lost responses to existing biologic or small-molecule treatments would be the likely candidates for eventual trials.
Not a fit: People whose IBD is mild and well controlled on current therapy, or whose disease is driven primarily by non-immune factors, are less likely to benefit from these immune-targeting compounds.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could produce oral drugs that work alongside or instead of current biologics to control IBD more reliably with fewer immune reactions.
How similar studies have performed: Biologic antibodies that block CD28 and ICOS pathways have shown promise, but developing small-molecule versions is a new and largely untested approach in humans.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gabr, Moustafa — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Gabr, Moustafa
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.