New drugs to treat heart diseases
EUTrigTreat (an integrated EU-FP7-project)
Duration: 2009-2014 | Grants awarded: € 12,000,000, of which Endotherm Life Science Molecules received: € 900,000
Cardiac arrhythmias are among the most common causes of death. Previously known therapies and preventive measures are often associated with serious side effects and they are very expensive. In order to develop new diagnostic and treatment options, the EUTrigTreat project aimed to identify the genetic and environmental causes of cardiac arrhythmias. Of particular interest are the signal transduction pathways at the molecular level (i.e., in the heart muscle cell). Endotherm Life Science Molecules synthesized promising compounds that were evaluated in cell-based assays and in vivo in collaboration with the consortium partners. The goal of the project was to develop new low-cost drugs for cardiac arrhythmias without significant side effects. Finally, new biochemical test methods (in vitro assays) were implemented in the company by consortium partners.
The project was coordinated by the University Medical Center Göttingen (Prof. Dr. S. E. Lehnart). Twelve academic institutions and, in addition to Endotherm Life Science Molecules, two other medium-sized companies from nine countries were involved.
EUGeneHeart (an integrated EU FP6 project)
Duration: 2006-2011 | Grants awarded: € 10,480,000 , of which Endotherm Life Science Molecules received: € 225,000
Cardiovascular diseases are among the most common causes of death. Myocardial infarction, hypertension, and heart valve defects are the main causes of heart failure. The goal of the EUGeneHeart project was to develop new therapeutic rationales for heart disease by studying genetically triggered signal transduction pathways. This strategy is based on the observation that both pathological and facilitating organ enlargement (hypertrophy) occur, such as in competitive athletes, and that, for example, myocardial infarction is mainly caused by pathological organ enlargement.
The project was coordinated by the Department of Cardiology and Pneumology of the Heart Center of the University Medical Center Göttingen (Prof. Dr. G. Hasenfuß). The project involved 23 scientific research institutions from 10 countries. Endotherm Life Science Molecules provided its expertise in drug discovery by synthesizing promising compounds for new therapeutic targets and making them available for biochemical evaluation. Finally, new biochemical assays for the evaluation of Endotherm's compounds were codeveloped.