Arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase (ALOX5) is a member of the lipoxygenase family of enzymes.  These enzymes are responsible for the dioxygenation of fatty acids, such as arachidonic acid, resulting in the production of cell signaling agents including leukotrienes, a family of inflammatory mediators responsible for regulation of immune responses.

Overproduction of inflammatory mediators by ALOX5 has been implicated in a range of conditions including acute injuries such as trauma and burns, and in chronic inflammatory responses including rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, and autoimmune diseases.  There is only one approved drug available in the ALOX5 inhibitor class, and it is indicated only for treatment of chronic asthma.

Our ALOX5 inhibitor candidate has been tested is liver disease, specifically alcoholic cirrhosis, and was found to accelerate liver regeneration in several well-established model of liver dysfunction.  The same compound has likewise been studied to reduce the effects of skeletal muscle atrophy, a growing concern in older adults.