RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Technology

Mitochon Technologies works on the pharmacological exploitation of the natural defense mechanism of our cells. The lead compound of the development, BGP-15 targets the cellular stress responses, including the heat shock protein and mitochondrial stress responses. Due to the ubiquitous nature of the targeted mechanism BGP-15 resulted in therapeutic effects in wide variety of diseases, including serious diseases without efficient treatment.

_{BGP-15 targets stress responses resulting in improved protein homeostasis and mitochondrial function.}

Heat shock proteins response, protein homeostasis

The normal function of the proteins depends on the proper folding, the specific secondary structure of the molecules built up from a long chain of polypeptide. Heat shock proteins, such as Hsp70 in combination with the cochaperone Hsp40 play an essential role in promoting the folding of the newly synthesized proteins and in the refolding of the denatured proteins. Heat shock proteins also take part in the degradation of the proteins.

Disease conditions frequently lead to altered protein homeostasis when the balance of healthy and damaged proteins or the amount, composition or cellular localization of the proteins are disturbed. Altered protein homeostasis contributes to the pathogenesis of a large number of diseases including neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases and it is also considered as an essential mechanism of ageing.

_{BGP-15 preserves protein homeostasis under stress condition through the facilitation of heat shock protein expression.}

Mitochondrial stress

Mitochondria are maintained as a highly dynamic organellar network by delicate balance of mitochondrial fission and fusion. This homeostatic balance plays an integral role in the response to cellular energy demand and stresses such as oxidative stress or proteotoxic stress. Mitochondrial response has far reaching effects by modifying several cellular functions through retrograde signaling pathways including CaMK, Keap1, Nrf2, ATF4, FOXO.

Mitochondrial stress response has pathogenic role in a large number of diseases.

_{BGP-15 alleviates the harmful effects of mitochondrial stress by reducing extensive mitochondrial fission and ROS production.}