Zehna Therapeutics is developing non-bacteriocidal inhibitors of selected gut microbial pathways clinically and mechanistically linked with chronic metabolic diseases. Our lead compounds inhibit the gut microbial enzyme CutC, preventing the conversion of dietary choline to trimethylamine (TMA) and subsequently to trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) within the host.

High systemic levels of TMAO have been linked to accelerated development of both cardiovascular and chronic kidney disease, as demonstrated in large-scale clinical cohort studies. Chronic Kidney Disease is our lead indication.