Unicycive Therapeutics, Inc. announced key findings of UNI-494 efficacy from a preclinical study in rodent model of Acute Kidney Injury. UNI-494 is a mitochondrial ATP sensitive potassium (mitoK(ATP)) channel activator that is in development for the treatment of AKI. The Company evaluated the effect of UNI-494 on ischemia-reperfusion induced acute kidney injury (IR- AKI) in rats.

Animals (n=10/group) were divided into 4 groups: sham, vehicle control, low dose of UNI-494 and high dose of UNI-494. Kidney injury was induced by 45-minute ischemia of bilateral kidneys. UNI-494 was administered orally 1-hour before the induction of ischemia and kidney function was monitored by measuring urinary creatinine, total urinary albumin, and -2 microglobulin (-2 MG).

Treatment of animals with the higher dose of UNI-494 resulted in a statistically significant reduction of -2 MG levels in urine.