JTC-064

JTC-064 is a small molecule inhibitor of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDHK) currently in Phase 1 clinical development by Akros Pharma, a subsidiary of Japan Tobacco. PDHK is an enzyme that negatively regulates the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) through phosphorylation. By inhibiting PDHK, JTC-064 promotes the activation of PDC, which is the rate-limiting step in the aerobic oxidation of glucose, converting pyruvate into acetyl-CoA within the mitochondria. This enhancement of mitochondrial energy metabolism is intended to provide neuroprotective effects in patients with neurodegenerative diseases, where metabolic failure and mitochondrial dysfunction are key pathological drivers.