molecules of the month

A newly disclosed sGC activator in Ph. II for CKD/DKD. This month, researchers at BI reported promising preclinical results for a newly disclosed sGC activator, BI-685509, which is in several Ph. II trials including for treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetic kidney disease (DKD) (NCT04736628, NCT04750577). In rodents, the molecule demonstrates efficacy both in combination with a standard therapy for CKD/DKD, enalapril, and anti-fibrotic activity as a single agent. Why is it important? Nitric oxide (NO) is a key signaling molecule for cardiovascular functions, acting through a key mediator, soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), in the NO-sGC-cGMP pathway. This pathway has been modulated by drugs for almost 150 years, from nitric oxide itself, to PDE5 inhibitors like sildenafil (Viagra)…