Federal Grant Award Summary

Vanderbilt University Medical Center received a $1.73 million Project Grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837), awarded June 1, 2026, with completion targeted for February 29, 2028. The award funds the therapeutic development of ENT-verticilide, a selective ryanodine receptor type 2 (RYR2) inhibitor, as a novel antiarrhythmic drug for treating atrial fibrillation (AF). The project will deliver critical preclinical research data establishing the drug candidate's efficacy, safety, and optimal dosing parameters through three coordinated investigative aims.

Specifically, the funded research will produce: (1) proof-of-concept data demonstrating antiarrhythmic efficacy and dose-response relationships in mouse models of genetic and acquired AF risk; (2) evidence regarding whether chronic RYR2 inhibition ameliorates pathological atrial remodeling in murine AF models; and (3) safety and efficacy evaluation in large animal models using acute and chronic dosing protocols. Upon completion, the investigation will generate the foundational efficacy data required to support regulatory submission for human clinical trials, addressing a significant clinical need given the high recurrence rates and treatment challenges associated with the most common cardiac arrhythmia.