Developing BMPR2 Inhibitors and Methods of Treating Cancer and Cognitive Defects

Inventor(s):  John Lagenfeld, MD

Awarded:  October 2020

Summary:  The main treatment for lung cancer today is chemotherapeutics such as Taxol combined with cisplatin. Approximately 85% of patients diagnosed with lung cancer will succumb to their disease despite treatment. Approximately 1.8 million people worldwide per year have advanced disease requiring a cancer therapeutic. The BMP receptor identified in our studies represents a novel target to treat lung and other carcinomas. Our unique BMP receptor inhibitors significantly suppress the expression of several proteins known to promote the growth and survival of cancer cells. Our BMP inhibitors represent a novel approach to treat cancer.

Additionally, several mice studies have established that inhibition of BMP signaling in aging mice stimulates neural stem cells that normally reside in the brain to differentiate into mature functioning neurons which enhance cognition. The ability to regenerate new neurons in the brain would represent a novel treatment approach for Alzheimer’s disease and other related neurodegenerative diseases. Worldwide, approximately 40 million people have Alzheimer’s disease and this number is expected to rise to 120 million by 2050, demonstrating the need for novel therapies.

Market Applications: 

• Cancer therapeutic
• Neuroregeneration for neurodegenerative disorders