# Developing non-anticoagulant recombinant heparin for treating the COPD Pathogenic Triad

> **NIH NIH R43** · TEGA THERAPEUTICS, INC. · 2022 · $321,866

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
This proposal describes a novel strategy to treat emphysema in COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease) using uniquely tailored heparan sulfate produced from genetically engineered mammalian cells.
Emphysema is a major component of COPD, a disease that afflicts up to 5% of the population and is the 4th
leading cause of death in the US. There is currently no drug that has proven efficacious to cure or delay
progression of the disease. While targeted therapies have shown little clinical benefit, heparin has multi-point
inhibitory activity against the three major drivers of disease progression (proteases, oxidative stress and
inflammation) and can be inhaled for local treatment. Heparin’s usefulness is limited by its anticoagulant
activity. TEGA Therapeutics’ recombinant heparan sulfate production technology enables targeted elimination
of 3-O-sulfate groups that are essential for anticoagulant activity while maintaining anti-elastolytic, anti-
oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. Mammalian cell lines that produce heparan sulfate without 3-O-
sulfate will be genetically engineered to improve inhibition of emphysema drivers. The products will then be
tested to evaluate their ability to inhibit proteases, oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators in vitro. Finally,
the efficacy of the top candidate will be assessed through orotracheal delivery in a rat model of emphysema.
The resulting product will be further developed as an inhalable drug in Phase II through bioprocess
development, formulation, toxicology studies and pharmacokinetic studies. Success in this endeavor will yield
a clinical drug that limits the progression of emphysema and increases the duration and quality of life for
patients. It would likely also be useful for other chronic pulmonary diseases including cystic fibrosis and alpha-
1 antitrypsin deficiency.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10382108
- **Project number:** 1R43HL162135-01
- **Recipient organization:** TEGA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Charles Alexander Glass
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $321,866
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-02-05 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10382108

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10382108, Developing non-anticoagulant recombinant heparin for treating the COPD Pathogenic Triad (1R43HL162135-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10382108. Licensed CC0.

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