Sentynl Therapeutics, a subsidiary of Zydus Lifesciences, has licensed investigational drug Progerinin (SLC-D011) from PRG S&T to advance development for Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome, with Phase 2A data expected in 1H 2026.
Written By: Pharmacally Medical News Desk
Sentynl Therapeutics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Zydus Lifesciences Limited, has entered into a licensing agreement with PRG S&T to develop the investigational therapy Progerinin (SLC-D011) for Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS), an ultra-rare genetic disorder characterized by accelerated aging in children.
Under the agreement, Sentynl will collaborate with PRG S&T to advance the clinical development of Progerinin, which has received orphan drug designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. If specified milestones are achieved, Sentynl will obtain full rights to the therapy for HGPS upon closing. The program is currently completing a Phase 2A clinical trial, with data expected in the first half of 2026. The deal would add Progerinin as the second therapy in Sentynl’s portfolio targeting progeria.
Dr. Sharvil P. Patel, Managing Director of Zydus Lifesciences, said the agreement strengthens the company’s commitment to therapies for rare genetic diseases and expands its pipeline addressing HGPS, a condition that severely impacts patients’ health and lifespan.
Matt Heck, CEO of Sentynl, noted that growing scientific progress in progeria research is opening the door for new treatment options for affected children and their families.
Progerinin is an orally active small-molecule designed to counter the harmful cellular effects of progerin, an abnormal protein produced by mutations in the LMNA gene. Accumulation of progerin disrupts nuclear structure and accelerates cellular aging in patients with HGPS. By inhibiting the interaction and toxicity of progerin, the drug aims to restore nuclear integrity and reduce cellular damage. The therapy remains investigational and has not yet been approved by any regulatory authority.
In preclinical studies reported in Nature Communications, Progerinin improved survival and disease features in HGPS mouse models, extending lifespan compared with untreated animals while also improving body weight and cellular nuclear structure.
HGPS and related progeroid laminopathies are ultra-rare, fatal genetic disorders caused by mutations that disrupt normal lamin A processing, leading to the buildup of abnormal farnesylated proteins such as progerin. The condition causes rapid premature aging in affected children, who typically develop severe, progressive complications and often die from cardiovascular disease at an average age of about 14.5 years.
Patients commonly present with growth failure and multiple systemic manifestations, including skin changes resembling scleroderma, widespread loss of body fat, hair loss, joint stiffness, skeletal abnormalities, and rapidly progressing atherosclerosis that leads to cardiovascular decline and stroke.
Currently, Zokinvy is the only approved therapy for HGPS and certain processing-deficient progeroid laminopathies in several regions, including the United States, European Union, Great Britain, Israel, and Japan. Sentynl’s development of Progerinin aims to expand the limited treatment options available for patients with this devastating disease.
Reference
Sentynl Therapeutics Enters into Agreement with PRG S&T to License Molecule for Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome, 16 March 2026, https://sentynl.com/news/sentynl-therapeutics-enters-into-agreement-with-prg-st-to-license-molecule-for-hutchinson-gilford-progeria-syndrome/
Kang, Sm., Yoon, MH., Ahn, J. et al. Progerinin, an optimized progerin-lamin A binding inhibitor, ameliorates premature senescence phenotypes of Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome. Commun Biol 4, 5 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-020-01540-w