Abstract
The development of novel pharmaceutical treatments for disorders of the cerebral vasculature is a serious unmet medical need. These vascular disorders are typified by a disruption in the delicate Rho signaling equilibrium within the blood vessel wall. In particular, Rho kinase overactivation in the smooth muscle and endothelial layers of the vessel wall results in cytoskeletal modifications that lead to reduced vascular integrity and abnormal vascular growth. Rho kinase is thus a promising target for the treatment of cerebral vascular disorders. Indeed, preclinical studies indicate that Rho kinase inhibition may reduce the formation/growth/rupture of both intracranial aneurysms and cerebral cavernous malformations.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
BioAxone BioSciences, Inc. owns the intellectual property for Cethrin and BA-1049 and is actively engaged in the development of Rho signaling-based treatments for neurological conditions. L McKerracher is the inventor of Cethrin and the Founder and CEO of BioAxone BioSciences. L Bond is the Senior Director of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs at BioAxone. L McKerracher and L Bond thus have commercial and proprietary interests in Cethrin and BA-1049 and in the investigation of Rho pathway modulation for neurological disorders. J Sellers is funded by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute Intramural Program at the National Institutes of Health (HL001786). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.