This technology provides pharmaceutical and food compositions for the prevention and treatment of aortic valve stenosis, utilizing gamma-oryzanol or its salts as an active ingredient. It works by inhibiting the expression of calcification-related protein markers in valvular interstitial cells.
Aortic valve stenosis is a major cardiovascular disease where inflammation and calcification cause the valve to thicken and fail to open properly. Without treatment, the mortality rate reaches 50% within two years of symptom onset. As there are no targeted drugs to prevent valve calcification, artificial valve replacement has been the only option. However, most patients are elderly, making surgery high-risk and costly (approx. 30 million KRW), while also carrying risks of stroke, paravalvular leakage, and durability issues. Previous attempts to repurpose drugs like lipid-lowering agents have failed to prove effective.
This technology inhibits the expression of calcification markers OPN (osteopontin) and RUNX2, preventing valvular interstitial cells from transforming into osteoblast-like cells that deposit calcium. It can be administered at a daily dose of 0.001–10 g, potentially combined with other anti-calcification agents. It offers a non-invasive, oral treatment option for elderly patients, serving as an alternative to surgery, an adjunct therapy before or after valve replacement, or a functional food for cardiovascular health.
This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT for the discovery of biomarkers and therapeutic targets to inhibit intractable aortic valve calcification using multi-omics data-based deep learning.
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