Palatin Technologies, Inc. announced the presentation of the poster MC1R Agonist PL8177 Protects Against Podocyte Loss in a Streptozotocin-Induced Rat Model of Diabetic Nephropathy at the International Podocyte Conference May 24-26, 2023 in Philadelphia, PA. The poster was presented by Luipa Khandker, Ph.D., Senior Scientist Biology, at Palatin. The data shows PL8177 treatment of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats preserved the expression of WT1 protein and the number of podocytes and proximal tubule cells compared to vehicle-treated controls.

The data also demonstrated that glomerular hypertrophy, a characteristic of kidney injury, trended toward reduction in PL8177-treated kidneys. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the most common cause of end-stage renal disease in the United States and other developed countries. Approximately 30 million US patients have chronic kidney disease (CKD) secondary to the combination of hypertension and Type II diabetes mellitus.

Despite this remarkable prevalence, clinicians have little consensus on what comprises optimal therapy. While the widespread use of RAAS blockade and other maneuvers have slowed disease progression, approximately one-third of patients with Type II diabetic nephropathy will progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). As a result, much effort has been devoted to understanding the mechanisms by which the diabetic condition leads to the typical histopathologic changes, including mesangial expansion, thickened basement membranes, and loss of podocyte density and functionality.