MUCOLYTIC AGENTS

Respiratory Disease Overview

Breathing provides us with the oxygen we need to survive, but also exposes us to pathogens and other hazardous particles. To protect our bodies, the lungs possess an elegant system to remove harmful particles from the airways, known as mucociliary clearance. Mucociliary clearance consists of a sticky mucus layer, which traps inhaled particles, and the coordinated beating of cilia that propel the mucus toward the mouth, where it is either swallowed or coughed out.

For mucociliary clearance to work properly, the mucus must be sticky enough to efficiently trap particles, yet not too viscous to impair the vigorous beating of the cilia. Failure of any of these components leads to pulmonary mucus accumulation and an array of pulmonary diseases. In many environmental and genetic airway diseases, such as cystic fibrosis (CF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), non-CF bronchiectasis, viral infections, and asthma are characterized by inadequately hydrated mucus and mucus over production. In primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), the cilia do not beat effectively and cannot clear mucus from the lungs. The accumulation of mucus in the lungs causes a vicious cycle of inflammation, infection, and the progressive loss of lung function, which are life-threatening.

Mucolytic Agents for Respiratory Diseases

In pulmonary medicine, there is a need for agents that clear adherent secretions from the lungs in acute and chronic pulmonary disorders including CF, COPD, asthma, PCD, NCFB, viral infections, and intubation. Parion Sciences is designing and testing novel mucolytic agents that specifically target mucus structure to facilitate mucus clearance from the lungs. The Parion mucolytic agents are designed to be broadly effective and well-tolerated, overcoming the limitations of existing medications.