Professor Raok Jeon Secures National Drug Development Program to Advance Kidney Fibrosis Therapeutics
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- Writer 커뮤니케이션팀
- 보도일자 2026-05-08
Professor Raok Jeon of the College of Pharmacy has been awarded a project under the National New Drug Development Program, a government-funded R&D initiative that supports the full spectrum of drug development. The project will receive KRW 800 million over the next two years to identify lead compounds for the development of novel therapeutics for kidney fibrosis.
Kidney fibrosis is a hallmark of chronic kidney disease. As fibrosis progresses, it can cause tubular atrophy and glomerulosclerosis, eventually leading to impaired kidney function and end-stage renal failure. Currently, there are no approved therapies that directly halt or reverse fibrotic progression. Existing standard therapies focus on protecting kidney function through blood pressure management and regulation of glucose excretion, highlighting the urgent need for innovative drugs based on new mechanisms of action.
Professor Raok Jeon (fifth from left) and members of the Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory in the College of Pharmacy.
Professor Jeon’s research team aims to develop direct anti-fibrotic drugs capable of suppressing and potentially reversing fibrosis progression by targeting the underlying disease process itself. Building on promising compounds identified through previous studies, the team plans to optimize these candidates and establish competitive lead compounds for future kidney fibrosisdrug development.
“This project holds special significance for me, as I have devoted much of my academic career at Sookmyung Women’s University to drug discovery research,” said Professor Jeon. “Through this research, I hope to deliver meaningful outcomes that contribute to the continued advancement of both the University and the College of Pharmacy.”