Salk scientists discover amino acid supplement protects mice against inflammation-related injury and death. The amino acid (methionine) boosts kidney filtration to clear pro-inflammatory factors, revealing an underappreciated role the kidneys play in preventing damage and death. The findings demonstrate the plasticity of disease trajectories and how small dietary changes can lead to big changes in patient outcomes.

Insilico Medicine announced it will present three abstracts at the 2026 Crohn’s & Colitis Congress in Las Vegas on January 23, 2026, featuring new data supporting the continued development of ISM5411 (ISM012-042), an orally administered, gut-restricted small-molecule inhibitor of PHD1/2 for inflammatory bowel disease. ISM5411 is designed to stabilize HIF-1α locally in the gastrointestinal tract to promote protective mucosal gene expression, support intestinal barrier repair, and reduce inflammation while limiting systemic exposure.

The presentations include first-in-human Phase 1 results in healthy volunteers showing favorable safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics consistent with gut restriction; 13-week repeat-dose toxicology studies in rats and dogs demonstrating good tolerability and a NOAEL at the highest dose tested; and preclinical efficacy in a chronic T cell transfer-induced colitis model, where ISM5411 reduced disease severity in both preventive and therapeutic settings, including in combination with anti-TNF therapy. Together, the data reinforce ISM5411’s potential as a novel approach to IBD that supports mucosal healing by strengthening epithelial integrity while regulating inflammatory pathways.