Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a pharmaceutical/therapeutics company that focuses on rare endocrine-related disorders and cancers. This past month, excitingly, the pharmaceutical company announced that it had been awarded a Phase IIB Small Business Innovation Research Grant (SBIR) of up to $2.8 million.
This money was given to finance the development of the oral, “nonpeptide somatostatin agonist” drug candidate, CRN00808, in the treatment acromegaly.
Acromegaly is a rare hormonal disorder in which the pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone. When this occurs, primarily in middle-aged adults, the bones increase in size, including those of the hands, feet and face.
This condition usually progresses slowly and is highly uncommon, so as a result is is often not recognized immediately. The problem is, if acromegaly isn’t treated quickly and effectively, it can cause serious complications that are even life-threatening.
That’s why the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) gave this jackpot of money for new treatment. To learn more about the NIDDK, the research it conducts and supports, and its programs, click this link.
The CEO of Crinetics, Scott Struthers, PhD, is looking to use this grant money so efficiently and effectively that the current plan is to bring this oral nonpeptide acromegaly drug, CRN00808, to the clinical setting as quickly as the end of this year.
CRN00808 is, conveniently, orally available and has displayed promise in animal models of excess growth hormone secretion. This treatment is the lead program in Crinetics Pharmaceuticals’ expanding pipeline of drug candidates.
This new oral treatment could be a God send for many acromegaly patients.
Current acromegaly treatments often involve painful deep intramuscular injections of therapy that must be administered monthly.
CRN00808, a nonpeptide somatostatin agonist, could relieve patients of these inconvenient frequent visits to the hospital and harsh injections.
Since Crinetics Pharmaceuticals projects to have CRN00808 in the clinic by the end of this year, we are all looking forward to seeing quick (positive) changes in patients’ acromegaly progression, as well as their overall quality of life.
To learn more about this treatment and its development from Global Newswire, click here!
