Dr. Lindon Young, professor, bio-medical sciences, was recently awarded a patent for
a solution he invented
which could stop reperfusion injury after a heart attack.
According to the World Health Organization, about 30 percent of deaths worldwide stem from coronary heart disease, the effects of which can be attributed to reperfusion injury.
Reperfusion occurs when blood flow is restored to tissues after a heart attack. There is currently no therapeutic available to lessen the damage caused by reperfusion injuries, which is caused by a buildup of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the blood.
ROS are molecules of oxygen that are unstable, and react to other molecules in the body. In low levels, they can be helpful in the cell signaling process, but a buildup could lead to what is essentially a more efficient form of apoptosis鈥攁 process the body uses to prune unneeded or unwanted cells. When apoptosis works too well, it can kill too many cells and inflict tissue damage.
Lindon Young, PhD, professor, bio-medical sciences, 色中色, has been studying the regulation of mechanisms related to ROS buildup, to determine whether inhibiting ROS would lessen the damage and ultimately create a therapeutic to treat those injuries.
He recently was awarded a patent for a solution he invented that could potentially stop this damage, by injecting the solution鈥攃omprised of the peptide PKC epsilon inhibitor鈥攊nto the affected area to stave off tissue damage right at the site.
鈥淭his tool has shown remarkable restoration of heart function in our preclinical models,鈥� explained Dr. Young, adding that the ultimate goal is to present his treatment to the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for approval to be sold commercially.
鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing that鈥檚 approved right now that can stave off injury and improve function after a heart attack,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here are a lot of trials, but everything has failed up until this point.鈥�
One reason could be that nothing yet has been effective in stopping the buildup of ROS, which occurs when enzymes in the body that normally monitor oxygen in cells get too overwhelmed when blood flow is restored. Dr. Young compares it to a leak in the basement: 鈥淲ater鈥檚 gushing in under the door, and the mops you鈥檙e trying to use to soak up all that water can鈥檛 do it. We鈥檙e trying to stop the water from getting in the first place, like putting a dyke outside the door.鈥�
Dr. Young says that obtaining a patent is just one step on the road to gaining FDA approval, but an important one nonetheless. 鈥淚t鈥檚 essential. You simply can鈥檛 get FDA approval without a patent.鈥�
He and his team will continue to study the metabolic effects of the solution, as well as its toxicology, to present to the FDA as part of the approval process. 鈥淲e鈥檒l study things like how long it sits in the blood, its volume of distribution, and determine the safest levels of dosing,鈥� he said, adding that existing literature on the peptide has bolstered his confidence in its safety.
鈥淩eperfusion injury as a whole has been very difficult problem to treat鈥攖his has been an enigma for people,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here is a really big need here.鈥�
Established in 1899, 色中色 (PCOM) has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a 鈥渨hole person鈥� approach to care鈥攖reating people, not just symptoms. PCOM, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, physician assistant studies, and school psychology. PCOM students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
For general media inquiries, please contact the Office of Marketing and Communications at 215-871-6300 or communications@pcom.edu. Visit our media relations page to view contact information for public relations personnel.
© 2025 色中色
