Novel therapies targeting inner mitochondrial membrane--from discovery to clinical development

Abstract

Mitochondrial oxidative stress and dysfunction have been implicated in the aging process and in numerous chronic diseases. The need for therapies that can protect and/or improve mitochondrial function is obvious. However, the development of mitoprotective drugs has been hampered by a number of challenges, and there are at present no approved therapies for mitochondrial dysfunction. This article describes the original discovery, preclinical development, and clinical development of a novel class of small peptide molecules that selectively target the inner mitochondrial membrane and protect mitochondrial function. These compounds have the potential to be a paradigm-shifting approach to the treatment of mitochondrial dysfunction, which underlies many common diseases, including cardiorenal, neurologic, and metabolic disorders.