Speeding myelin repair with lanthionine ketimine derivatives
Official title: Accelerating remyelination using lanthionine ketimine derivatives
Funded at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center · NIH-11173721 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether lanthionine ketimine–based compounds can help people with multiple sclerosis regrow the protective myelin around their nerves.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Jesse Brown VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2022 |
| Project end | September 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01RX003955-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11173721 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (age 21 and over) with multiple sclerosis, especially those with prior demyelinating episodes who are interested in future remyelination therapies, would be the likely candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without MS or whose symptoms are driven only by active inflammation rather than lasting myelin loss are unlikely to benefit from a remyelination-focused approach.
What this research studies
Researchers are developing and testing new drugs derived from lanthionine ketimine to help the brain and spinal cord rebuild the myelin insulation that is lost in MS. They will screen modified compounds in the lab and use mouse models of demyelination (including the cuprizone model) to find the most promising candidates and optimal dosing. Tissue will be examined with electron and confocal microscopy to measure new myelin, nerve health, and inflammation, and studies will track whether treated animals regain nerve function and behavior. Successful preclinical results would guide whether one or more compounds move toward human testing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these compounds could help people with MS restore damaged myelin and improve neurological function and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Related work shows the parent compound LKE improved remyelination and symptoms in mouse models and some derivatives looked more potent in lab screens, but human benefit has not yet been demonstrated.
Where this research is happening
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Jesse Brown VA Medical Center
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Feinstein, Douglas L. — Jesse Brown VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Feinstein, Douglas L.
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.