Research - San Francisco, California, United States
APRICITY THERAPEUTICS, INC. aims to exploit solute carrier (SLC) transporters in the development of novel drug targets for the treatment of different human diseases. SLC transporters are a family of approximately 400 membrane-bound proteins that facilitate the transport of a wide array of substrates across biological membranes. They have important roles in physiological processes ranging from the cellular uptake of nutrients to the absorption of drugs and other xenobiotics. Several classes of marketed drugs target well-known SLC transporters, such as neurotransmitter transporters for depression and glucose transporters for diabetes. Human genetic studies have provided powerful insight into the roles of more-recently characterized SLC transporters in both rare and common diseases, indicating a wealth of new therapeutic opportunities. Apricity is building SLC transporter platform targeting SLC to improves drug pharmacological effects, reduces drug toxicity or targeting SLC transporters that can be inhibited to treat human diseases. For examples, small molecule inhibitors of transporters are under development to (i) protect tissues from toxicity due to anti-cancer chemotherapeutic drugs; (ii) to treat human diseases by phenocopying the role of the transporters. High throughput fluorescence screening assays are under development for targeting various SLC transporters involved in human disease.