Science
Pathological calcification describes the process whereby calcium containing crystals are formed and deposited in soft tissues that normally do not calcify. It can affect different organs and is associated with ageing and diseases. The most common sites affected are the cardiovascular system (arterial calcification in atherosclerosis, valve calcification), cartilage and joint tissue calcification (in osteoarthritis and post-trauma as in calcific tendinitis and synovial calcification) and in skin (chronic skin ulcers, calcinosis associated with connective tissue diseases). None of these calcification disorders are treated currently, even though they are known to cause pain, ulceration, tissue damage and inflammation.
Treatment of Pathologic calcification
There is currently no calcification inhibitor with proven efficacy on the market. Surgery is the only available option for advanced calcification of soft tissues. The lack of effective therapies (apart from surgical removal) has led us to develop CSE allosteric modulators that can be administered as drugs to treat these disorders.
Calcification disorders in man
Our research
The lack of effective therapies (apart from surgical removal) has led us to develop our idea further – firstly to develop CSE allosteric modulators that can be administered as drugs, by topical and systemic administration, to treat these disorders. In the first phase of drug development, we seek to develop topical treatments that act on skin calcification.