# Small molecule drugs targeting gut dysbiosis to manage inflammatory bowel disease

> **NIH NIH R43** · SYMBERIX, INC. · 2022 · $304,553

## Abstract

Project Summary
The goal of this project is to develop a small molecule drug as a novel therapeutic for the modulation of gut
dysbiosis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Over 1.6 million Americans suffer from IBD, an
umbrella term used to describe chronic inflammation of all or part of the digestive tract, including Crohn’s disease
and ulcerative colitis. IBD is a complex immune disorder that can be caused by genetics, environment, aberrant
immune response and disruption of the digestive tract microbiota. IBD ranks as one of the five most expensive
GI disorders, with an annual direct medical cost burden between 11 and 28 billion dollars, approximately half of
which are for prescription drugs. Current strategies to manage or treat IBD involve suppressing the immune
system, however many of these drugs are not intended for long term use, and others have no effect in up to half
of patients treated. Therefore, currently available therapies do not meet the needs of all patients and new
treatment approaches are needed. Symberix, Inc. is developing a novel class of small molecule drugs that
specifically target and inhibit one of the known causes of digestive tract inflammation: the microbiome. Pilot
studies demonstrate the preliminary feasibility of blocking the activity of bacterial beta glucuronidases (GUS
enzymes) and slowing the growth of harmful bacteria without compromising the growth of protective bacteria.
Small molecule GUS inhibitors also show potent activity in ex vivo assays using biological samples derived from
patients with IBD. This Phase I proposal will focus on confirming and extending pilot studies by rigorously
evaluating the biological activity of two candidate small molecule drugs in an in vivo mouse model of ulcerative
colitis and an ex vivo inhibition assay using IBD patient-derived stool samples.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10481382
- **Project number:** 1R43DK131674-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** SYMBERIX, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Bret David Wallace
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $304,553
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-06-10 → 2023-03-10

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10481382

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10481382, Small molecule drugs targeting gut dysbiosis to manage inflammatory bowel disease (1R43DK131674-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10481382. Licensed CC0.

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