BioCentury
ARTICLE | Distillery Therapeutics

Therapeutics: Arginase 1 (ARG1)

April 23, 2015 7:00 AM UTC

Mouse studies suggest inhibiting arginase could help treat AD. In pathological brain tissue of a mouse model of AD, levels of ARG1 were higher and levels of arginine were lower than in brain tissue of normal mice. In the AD model, difluromethylornithine (DFMO; eflornithine) - an inhibitor of arginase and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) - decreased learning and memory deficits compared with vehicle. Next steps include development of a DFMO-based compound to treat AD. (See "Arginine for Alzheimer's", page 13)

Cancer Prevention Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Zeria Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. have CPP-1X/sulindac (DFMO/sulindac), a combination of DFMO and the generic NSAID sulindac, in Phase III testing to treat adenomatous polyps. Cancer Prevention also has the product in Phase III testing to treat colorectal cancer...