Rapid, low-cost reteplase production for heart attack treatment
Official title: Rapid Production of Nonglycosylated Reteplase for Affordable Thrombolytic Therapy
Funded at University of Pikeville · NIH-11437081 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A program to make a cheaper, plant-made form of reteplase that can be used quickly to treat heart attacks.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pikeville NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pikeville, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $351,311 |
| NIH project number | 1R15HL188200-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11437081 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults experiencing acute myocardial infarction who would benefit from rapid thrombolytic therapy and could be candidates for reteplase treatment.
✕Less likely to help
People with conditions where reteplase is not indicated or where alternative therapies are preferred may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to produce nonglycosylated reteplase in plants to lower costs and improve access for people with acute myocardial infarction, especially in regions with high heart disease burden. Researchers will use a plant-based system to express reteplase in two compartments to optimize yield and stability, with preliminary tests showing clot-dissolving activity. The work builds on undergraduate findings and plans a focused set of design, expression, and purification steps to move toward a usable drug candidate. The study is set at the University of Pikeville and targets a real clinical need by enabling more affordable thrombolytic therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive faster, more affordable thrombolytic treatment for heart attacks.
How similar studies have gone: Plant-based production of therapeutic proteins has shown feasibility in other cases, supporting potential success for reteplase production.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pikeville
Pikeville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Kevin Yueju — University of Pikeville
- Study coordinator: Wang, Kevin Yueju
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.