# Selection of a lead candidate for the development of a novel anti-inflammatory therapeutic

> **NIH NIH R43** · PEEL THERAPEUTICS, INC. · 2021 · $299,675

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
PEEL Therapeutics, Inc. (PEEL) is pioneering a novel approach to prevent morbidity and mortality
associated with inflammatory disease through the inhibition of neutrophil extracellular traps
(NETs). NETs are lattices of decondensed chromatin decorated with histones and antimicrobial
proteins extruded by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) to trap and kill microbes. While
regulated NET formation contains infection, dysregulated NET formation leads to inflammatory
tissue damage and vascular injury. NETs have been implicated in human diseases characterized
by inflammation, including sepsis, stroke, diabetes, and heart disease. The ability of NET-
inhibitory factors (NIFs) to block PMN-dependent NET formation makes this newly described
class of endogenous peptides a promising therapeutic modality for diseases caused and/or
exacerbated by NET-dependent inflammatory events. In this Phase I SBIR, PEEL will quantify
and compare the biological activity and pharmacokinetics of two NIFs in vitro and in vivo. The
lead NIF peptide will move forward in the development of a novel anti-NET therapeutic. After
completing these SBIR Phase I tasks, PEEL Therapeutics will be in an excellent position to
advance its new and patented NIF-based therapeutic to further preclinical studies. These efforts
by PEEL Therapeutics hold the potential to disrupt and improve the treatment approach to both
acute and chronic inflammatory diseases.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10156864
- **Project number:** 1R43AI155239-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** PEEL THERAPEUTICS, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Aleah Fox Caulin
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $299,675
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-04-15 → 2023-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10156864

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10156864, Selection of a lead candidate for the development of a novel anti-inflammatory therapeutic (1R43AI155239-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10156864. Licensed CC0.

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