Analysis of the synergistic effect and therapeutic potential of small molecules in patients with recurrent pulmonary infections

Innovation Fund of the Republic of Serbia, Technology Transfer program, TT1104, 2022-2023
Principal Investigator: Dr Marina Andjelkovic, IMGGE
Participants: Dr Marina Andjelkovic, dr Anita Skakic

Abstract: Effective mucociliary clearance requires appropriate mucus production and coordinated ciliary activity. Hundreds of genetic and/or chronic lung disorders, especially in childhood, and life habits as well, lead to disruption of this process, and recurrent lung infections occur.

The advantage of the simultaneous application of two small molecules, of which one has a mucolytic property while the other accelerates the ciliary movement, is the synergy effect which provides that the overall therapeutic potential of the molecule combination is greater, in a shorter time and smaller doses than the sum of effects caused by individual components. Further, all the known therapeutics are focused on the mucus viscosity changing, thereby improving only one component of mucociliary clearance. Simultaneous enhancement of both essential processes in the maintenance of mucociliary clearance, by dual-acting on the decreasing of thick mucus accumulation as well as enhancement of cilia motility, solves the problem of prolonged time of mucus excretion.