NWL-154

NWL-154 is a small molecule, peptidic vinyl methyl sulfone inhibitor that acts as an irreversible caspase inhibitor with neuroprotective effects. It selectively inhibits Caspase-6, -8, and -10, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 100 nM against Caspase-6 in vitro and 3.63 μM in Caspase-6-transfected HCT116 cells. NWL-154 has demonstrated the ability to inhibit serum deprivation-induced Caspase-6 activity and prevent amyloid precursor protein-mediated neurite degeneration in human primary CNS neurons. The compound is non-toxic to HCT116 cells and human primary neurons. Its therapeutic potential lies primarily in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease[1].