Constellation Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company in the field of epigenetics, has received a research grant in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (UPSOM), the  leading academic centres for biomedical research, from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to explore the potential use of BET bromodomain inhibitors for the control of inflammation in cystic fibrosis.

“This research grant will facilitate the study of the epigenetic control of inflammation, an area of active research at Constellation, in the context of a disease for which the treatment options are very limited,” commented Jose Lora, Ph.D., executive director of preclinical sciences at Constellation.

Through the grant, Constellation Pharmaceuticals will collaborate with the laboratory of Jay Kolls, MD, director, Richard King Mellon Foundation Institute for Paediatric Research at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, and professor of paediatrics and immunology at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr Kolls’ laboratory is a pioneer in the mechanistic understanding of cystic fibrosis, and has made fundamental contributions to the concept of inflammation as a key component of the pathophysiology of this disease.

The research supported by this grant will test the preclinical efficacy of novel anti-inflammatory compounds to reduce potential lung-damaging inflammation in people with cystic fibrosis.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the world's leader in the search for a cure for cystic fibrosis and funds more cystic fibrosis research than any other organization.

Constellation Pharmaceuticals leverages insights from the rapidly expanding field of epigenetics to discover and develop small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, inflammatory/immunologic disorders and other diseases.

The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine integrates advanced technology with basic science across a broad range of disciplines in a continuous quest to harness the power of new knowledge and improve the human condition.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the world's leader in the search for a cure for cystic fibrosis. The Foundation funds more cystic fibrosis research than any other organisation, and nearly every CF drug available today was made possible because of Foundation support. The Foundation also supports and accredits a national care centre network that has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health as a model of care for a chronic disease.