People who suffer from a certain kidney disease may soon be testing a UO-patented drug. And if approved by FDA, the drug would bring revenue to UO.

Jim Barlow, the director of Science and Research Communications said the drug, CXA-10 reached “phase two” of clinical trials, and it’s an enormous step towards getting it on the market and into the hands of doctors. Phase two allows researchers to test the drug’s effectiveness under real conditions and the side effects it may have.

“Phase two is a vitally important step in the process of drug approval in the United States,” Barlow said in an email to the Emerald. “Only a small number of volunteer subjects, who have been diagnosed with the disease involved, receive the drug, while others in the trial do not.”

Bruce Branchaud is the professor emeritus in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and, starting in 2004, was was part of a six-person

Bruce Branchaud is the professor emeritus in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

team that worked to develop the drug.

The drug treats people suffering from one of two different diseases. One is a focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a cause of nephrotic syndrome in children and adolescents and kidney failure in adults. The second disease is pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), which causes high blood pressure in the arteries that connect the heart to the lungs.

The drug could extend the life expectancy of patients, according to biopharmaceutical company Complexa, owner of the patents for the drug.

UO invested $22,000 to the drug, according to AroundtheO, a university blog.

CXA-10 could be a nonsteroid option for FSGS, which can be potentially toxic in high doses and unresponsive to the disease.

The current treatment for FSGS needs vasodilators in order to improve drug flow, and the steroids are needed to reduce any inflammation. If it passes trials, CXA-10 could be a replacement for the steroids. It could also be used to treat PAH with the use of vasodilators.

The development of the drug could have large impacts in the community when it comes to treating these diseases. Complexa, the company that owns CXA-10, hopes to test the drug’s safety and effectiveness early next year.

Follow Erin Carey on Twitter: @erinlcarey

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