Development of a Treatment Substance for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy
World's First Identification of Effects Using Mitophagy-Activating Substance
Dong-A University (President Lee Haewoo) announced that a joint research team led by Professor Yoon Jin-ho from the College of Medicine has successfully verified the therapeutic effect of a new mitophagy-inducing substance derived from marine organisms in treating 'chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.'
The results of this study, conducted by Professor Yoon's joint research team, have been published online in the 'British Journal of Pharmacology.'
The 'British Journal of Pharmacology' is a world-renowned academic journal ranked in the top 5% in the field of pharmaceutical research. The title of the paper is 'Novel marine-derived mitophagy inducer ameliorates mitochondrial dysfunction and thermal hypersensitivity in paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy.'
This research, with Professor Yoon as a corresponding author and doctoral candidates Lim Sangwoo and Jung Daejin as co-first authors, is significant in that it paves the way for the 'commercialization of mitophagy-based therapeutics.'
'Mitophagy' is a mechanism that selectively removes damaged or unnecessary mitochondria, playing a key role in maintaining cellular function and attracting attention as a new disease treatment strategy. The development of mitophagy-inducing substances suitable for clinical application has emerged as a key challenge in the development of mitophagy-based therapeutics.
To develop new mitophagy-inducing substances, Professor Yoon's research team screened compounds derived from marine organisms from the Chuuk Islands in the Federated States of Micronesia and successfully discovered 'PDE701,' a compound with excellent mitophagy-inducing activity and low toxicity.
The research team also verified that 'PDE701' specifically induces mitophagy and promotes mitophagy independently of the mitophagy induction pathway caused by cellular stress, confirming its suitability for therapeutic use.
Research team led by Professor Jinho Yoon of Dong-A University (from left: Professor Jinho Yoon, PhD candidate Sangwoo Lim, PhD candidate Daejin Jung, CEO Eunhee Yoo)
In fact, the research team demonstrated that 'PDE701' improves mitochondrial dysfunction and thermal hypersensitivity in a model of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy caused by the anticancer drug paclitaxel, proving it to be a therapeutic substance suitable for clinical application.
This research was supported by research projects from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. Additional studies to commercialize 'PDE701' as a therapeutic agent are also underway through Altmedical Co., Ltd., co-founded by Professor Yoon Jin-ho and CEO Yoo Eunhee.
It is expected that 'PDE701' can also be utilized in the development of therapeutics for other intractable degenerative brain diseases caused by mitochondrial dysfunction, in addition to chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.
Professor Yoon stated, "I am pleased that a purely domestic research team has taken the lead in developing a mitophagy-based therapeutic substance suitable for clinical application in a field where leading research teams and companies worldwide are fiercely competing. It is highly significant that we have confirmed marine organisms as a valuable resource for the development of mitophagy inducers."
He added, "This research achievement would not have been possible without the help of many, for which I am grateful. I will continue to do my best to conduct research that can truly benefit patients, with an even more humble attitude going forward."
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