# Evaluating therapeutic potential of a novel PPAR-a agonist for wet-AMD

> **NIH NIH R43** · EXCITANT THERAPEUTICS, LLC · 2020 · $272,889

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The aim of this proposal is to evaluate therapeutic potential of a novel PPAR-α agonist A91, for
treating wet-form of age-related macular degeneration (wet-AMD). Current standard of care for
wet-AMD, or other ocular diseases with an obvious dysfunctional microvasculature basis, is
mainly dependent on managing the growth of abnormal blood vessels. In doing so, treatment
options employ inherently invasive procedures challenged with technical limitations and financial
constraints. For example, high cost, requirement of specialized facilities, repetitive intravitreal
injections, and limited patient responsiveness are some of the critical barriers to progress in care
for wet-AMD. Hence, developing small molecules designed for systemic administration will
significantly improve various aspects of the current standard of care. As experimental evidence
indicate, pharmacological activation of PPAR-α in various disease models exhibits therapeutic
effects such as anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties. However, there are
no FDA-approved PPAR-α targeting drugs for wet-AMD.
 The proposed research in Phase I will focus on evaluating in vivo efficacy of A91, a novel
PPAR-α selective agonist, in choroidal neovascularization (CNV) model by examining key
aspects of wet-AMD: abnormal angiogenesis, subretinal inflammation and fibrosis. Aim 1 will
study whether A91 can suppress choroidal neovascularization in vivo in a laser-induced CNV
model. Aim 2 will test the anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties of PPAR-α on CNV lesions.
Upon successful demonstration of its efficacy, Phase II studies will be proposed to further develop
A91 as a potential therapeutic agent for wet-AMD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10081184
- **Project number:** 1R43EY031998-01
- **Recipient organization:** EXCITANT THERAPEUTICS, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** henry younghwa shin
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $272,889
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2022-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10081184

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10081184, Evaluating therapeutic potential of a novel PPAR-a agonist for wet-AMD (1R43EY031998-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10081184. Licensed CC0.

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