Function Therapeutics has been awarded a Phase 1 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
The grant, valued at up to $503,454, is titled “Small Molecule PAR1 Ligands for the Treatment of MASH”. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH, formerly NASH) is a liver disease characterized by the unnatural accumulation of lipids within hepatic cells, inflammation, and ultimately fibrosis. This project supports the discovery of anti-inflammatory molecules of the parmodulin class at Function Therapeutics, and their testing in a rodent model of obesity in the lab of Dr. James Luyendyk at Michigan State University. This is the 5th competitive research grant won by Function Therapeutics since it started operations in 2022.