Function Therapeutics, Inc. — National Science Foundation SBIR Phase I: PT
Function Therapeutics, Inc. — SBIR Phase I award from National Science Foundation.
Phase I SBIR feasibility signal
- Phase I awards fund proof-of-concept work. For capture teams, they mark early interest from National Science Foundation in a technical approach.
- Watch for Phase II follow-ons from the same firm/topic family — that conversion path is where budgets and transition pressure rise.
- Obligated amount $274,710. Cross-check similar awards in the same agency and technology tags for going-rate context.
- Topic code PT links this award to a solicitation family — search the same topic stem for incumbents and recompete timing.
- Amount
- $274,710
- Agency
- National Science Foundation
- Program / Phase
- SBIR · Phase I
- Topic
- PT
- Solicitation
- NSF 22-551
- NAICS
- —
- Place of performance
- WI
- Period
- 2023-03-15 → 2024-02-29
Description
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is that a deeper structural understanding will be developed of protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1), an important target for promising new anti-thrombotic and anti-inflammatory drugs. The project will also support the development of new compounds targeting PAR1 with the potential for improved potency and safety profiles. Such compounds could represent a new drug class for the treatment of inflammation-related diseases, including kidney disease._x000D_ _x000D_ The proposed project involves the confirmation of the binding site on PAR1 of small molecule ligands called parmodulins. A detailed characterization of this binding site will support the rapid design, synthesis, and testing of new and improved parmodulins with superior properties as oral medications. A combination of computational, structural biology, and synthetic methods will be combined with PAR1 cell assays to confirm the binding site and develop more detailed structure-activity relationships of the parmodulins. It is also anticipated that novel parmodulins will be identified in this project with improved safety and stability profiles._x000D_ _x000D_ This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.