Cardiovascular Library

Description

ChemDiv’s Cardiovascular Library contains 23,000 compounds.

The largest commercially available library of small molecules for cardiovascular phenotypic screening presents an extended resource to tackle the numerous challenges faced in drug discovery for cardiovascular diseases. These challenges are multifaceted and complex, reflecting both the prevalence and the severity of those disorders:

Global Health Impact: Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death worldwide, indicating a critical need for effective therapeutic interventions. The sheer scale of the affected population underscores the urgency in developing new and more effective treatments.

Economic Burden: The economic impact of cardiovascular diseases is unparalleled, exceeding that of other health conditions. The financial strain is not only felt by healthcare systems but also by patients and their families, and it continues to rise according to predictive analysis reports. This economic pressure necessitates more cost-effective drug discovery and treatment strategies.

Prevalence Across Age Groups: The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases increases with age, affecting a significant proportion of the population at different life stages. About 11% of people in the United States aged 20 to 40 are affected, which jumps to 37% for those between 40 and 60, 71% for ages 60 to 80, and 85% for individuals over 80. This broad and increasing prevalence across age groups adds to the complexity of developing universally effective treatments.

Rising Mortality Rates: In 2015, cardiovascular diseases accounted for 17.9 million deaths, a significant increase from 12.3 million in 1990. This upward trend in mortality rates further emphasizes the need for innovative and effective treatment options.

Emerging Targets from Systems Biology: Recent advancements in systems biology have identified numerous new drug targets for cardiovascular diseases. While these discoveries provide exciting opportunities for novel therapies, they also present challenges in addressing the unmet needs in cardiovascular drug development. The complexity and interconnectedness of biological systems require a sophisticated approach to drug discovery that can effectively target these new and intricate pathways.

The target space of the cardiovascular small molecules library is comprehensive, covering a wide range of biological targets that are critical in cardiovascular physiology and pathology. These targets include:

Adenosine receptors play a crucial role in regulating myocardial oxygen consumption and coronary blood flow, making them significant targets for the treatment of various cardiovascular conditions, including ischemic heart diseases and arrhythmias.

Adrenergic Receptors as key regulators of cardiac function. Targeting adrenergic receptors can influence heart rate, myocardial contractility, and vascular tone, which are central factors in the management of hypertension, heart failure, and arrhythmias.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE). ACE inhibitors are widely used in the treatment of hypertension and heart failure. ACE plays a pivotal role in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, which regulates blood pressure and fluid balance.

Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein (CETP). This protein is involved in the transfer of cholesteryl esters and triglycerides between lipoproteins. Inhibitors targeting CETP are being explored for their potential in managing dyslipidemia and reducing cardiovascular risk.

Dopamine Receptor. These receptors, particularly in their peripheral locations, can influence vascular tone and renal function, playing a role in the control of blood pressure.

HMG-CoA reductase is a target for statins, one of the most widely prescribed drug classes for reducing cholesterol levels and thereby managing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

MAP Kinase. Mitogen-activated protein kinases are involved in cell signaling related to cell growth and survival. They have been implicated in various cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure and ischemic heart disease.

Vasopressin receptors that play a role in regulating vasopressin release, which is involved in water balance and vasoconstriction. They are potential targets for the treatment of heart failure and hypertension.

Purinergic receptor is involved in a variety of cellular functions, including vascular tone regulation and platelet aggregation. They are considered targets for the development of drugs to treat thrombosis and other cardiovascular conditions.

The library also includes a range of other targets, each playing a unique role in cardiovascular health and disease. This diversity enables the exploration of multiple therapeutic avenues in cardiovascular drug discovery.

By covering such a broad and varied range of targets, this library provides an invaluable resource for researchers and pharmaceutical companies aiming to discover and develop new drugs for a multitude of cardiovascular diseases. This comprehensive approach increases the likelihood of identifying effective treatments for complex cardiovascular conditions.

Publications

-       Gromo, G. et al. (2014) Cardiovascular Drug Discovery: A Perspective from a Research-Based Pharmaceutical Company. Cold Spring Harb. Perspect. Med. 4, a014092.

-       Medicines in Development for Heart Disease and Stroke 2018 Report. https://www.phrma.org/report/medicines-in-development-for-heart-disease-and-stroke-2018-report

-       Fordyce et al. (2015) Cardiovascular Drug Development. JACC 65 (15), 1567–1582.

-       Stern, C.S.; Lebowitz, J. (2010) Latest drug developments in the field of cardiovascular disease. Int. J. Angiol. 19(3), e100-e105.

-       ChEMBL database version ChEMBL24 https://www.ebi.ac.uk/chembl/

-       PubChem Substance and Compound databases. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search/index.html

-       PubMed databases. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/

-       The Binding Database. http://www.bindingdb.org/bind/index.jsp