Dystroglycan is a crucial extracellular matrix receptor responsible for maintaining cell function and tissue integrity. Its activity depends on a specialized glycan known as matriglycan that is the ligands binding site and plays a vital role in cellular stability and communication. Defects in matriglycan are linked to various diseases, including muscular dystrophy and cancers, where loss of its function contributes to muscle degeneration and uncontrolled cell growth.

Researchers at Mannan have identified and synthesized a series of small molecules that can restore and enhance matriglycan expression on dystroglycan. This groundbreaking discovery represents a transformative therapeutic breakthrough, offering new treatment possibilities for both muscular dystrophy and metastatic cancers.

Highlights: Our therapeutic strategy focuses on restoring the lost functions in cancer cells, inducing them to return to a normal or near-normal state rather than killing all cancer cells. This approach significantly reduces toxicity of the therapy. Additionally, our target is ubiquitous across all tissues, providing broad clinical implications for various conditions, including multiple types of metastatic cancers and muscle-related disorders.