Rimeporide in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension? A collaboration with John Hopkins

In parallel of developing Rimeporide for the treatment of Duchenne muscular Dystrophy, EspeRare is now also initiating studying Rimeporide's therapeutic potential in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

Rimeporide is a discontinued heart failure drug, that EspeRare has turned into an innovative first-in-class treatment for patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (click here to check this clinical development programme). Rimeporide has proven to be well-tolerated in multiple animal models and clinical trials in healthy adults and young boys with Duchenne.

 The mechanism of action of Rimeporide, the inhibition of a protein called NHE-1, holds potential in multiple therapeutic indications and EspeRare is working towards establishing collaborations with world-class partners to explore this potential.

 In particular, EspeRare started a collaboration with Larissa Shimoda, Ph.D. and John Huestch, M.D. at the John Hopkins University School of Medicine in the "Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine". The aim of this collaboration is to explore the therapeutic potientiel of Rimeporide in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, using in vitro and in vivo models. Over the last 10 years, this team has published important research articles on the contribution of NHE-1 in the development of this debilitating disease and the use of NHE-1 inhibitors to prevent it.

Positive results from this study would support the initiation of a Phase II clinical trial to test Rimeporide’s therapeutic potential in patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.