Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (iPSC)-Based Platform for treating hyperlipidemia

Hyperlipidemia is a group of conditions that present as abnormally elevated lip levels in blood and affect approximately 20-30% of the population. It is a critical risk factor for a host of diseases including the development of various cardiovascular diseases, type II diabetes and hypertension. A percentage of all cases of hyperlipidemia are familial and mutations in the LDL receptor (LDLR), ApoB, and other known loci account for a significant number of these patients, but many others have an unknown cause. Statins (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) have been widely used in the treatment of patients with hyperlipidemia. These drugs work by directly inhibition cholesterol biosynthesis in the liver, but also indirectly increase LDL update through up-regulation of LDLR. A problem of statins is that they don’t work in all patients and have relevant secondary effects. PCSK9 antibody therapy is an alternative solution. however its long term safety and efficacy of PCSK9 antibody therapy is still under investigation, and its high cost makes it difficult for normal patients to afford.

The group propose method to discover potentially pathways for modulation of LDL levels in blood and the management of hyperlipidemia.