Could RA Drug Prevent Aortic Valve Stenosis?

The anti-inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis (RA) drug SYN0012 may become the first drug able to cure aortic valve stenosis caused by aortic valve calcification, according to a recent study.

Currently, the only way to eliminate aortic valve stenosis is through aortic valve repair or replacement. However, this new drug may be a noninvasive way to prevent the condition.
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The study evaluated the protein cadherin-11 (CDH-11) present in heart valves. In 2013, the researchers found that deactivating the protein could control the fibroblast activity and cellular calcification in the heart, which are characteristic of aortic valve stenosis.

Most recently, the researchers tested SYN0012, finding that it binds to CDH-11 on the cell surface of aortic valves and deactivates it by controlling fibroblasts, thus preventing CDH-11 from overproducing and preventing inflammation of the aortic valve.

The researchers plan to test the safety and efficacy of SYN0012 for aortic valve stenosis once human trials for SYN0012 as treatment for RA have been conducted.

—Christina Vogt

Reference:

Clark CR, Bowler MA, Snider C, Merryman WD. Targeting Cadherin-11 prevents Notch1-mediated calcific aortic valve disease [Published online June 12, 2017]. Circulation. doi:0.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.027771.