Novel Inhibitors of Protein Kinase Signaling that are Neuroprotective and have Potential Applicability for the Treatment of Glaucoma, Optic Nerve Disease, and other Forms of Neurodegeneration

Glaucoma is a major cause of visual loss and blindness in elderly Americans and throughout the world. One approach to treatment of glaucoma, and other optic nerve diseases as well as other neurodegenerations, is to develop “neuroprotective” agents that promote the survival of neurons. We have synthesized and tested a number of novel compounds, based on structural similarity to known protein kinase inhibitors, that can promote the survival and/or neurite outgrowth of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), the cells in the retina that die in glaucoma and whose loss leads to vision loss. Based on the activity of these compounds on RGCs, one or more of them may also be relevant for the treatment of other optic nerve diseases and other diseases, including but not limited to the neurodegenerative diseases, in which there is loss of neurons.

Category(s):