-- Highly selective SIK2 inhibitors demonstrate dual mechanism of suppressing inflammation and promoting mucosal healing in preclinical models and human ex vivo systems --
Nimbus Therapeutics, LLC ("Nimbus Therapeutics" or "Nimbus"), a drug discovery company developing breakthrough medicines through AI-enhanced computational chemistry, today announced that it will present preclinical and translational data from its novel salt-inducible kinase 2 (SIK2) inhibitor program in poster presentations at the 21st Congress of the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO), taking place February 18-21, 2026, in Stockholm, Sweden.
Salt-inducible kinases (SIKs) comprise three closely related isoforms (SIK1, SIK2, and SIK3) that function as downstream signaling nodes integrating pathogen- and damage-associated cues. Among these isoforms, SIK2 is a key regulator in myeloid cells that amplifies pro-inflammatory gene expression. Studies have shown that selective inhibition of SIK2 reduces pro-inflammatory cytokines and uniquely upregulates tissue repair factors such as interleukin-10 (IL-10), an effect not observed with SIK1 or SIK3 inhibition.
Nimbus’ therapeutic approach to selectively targeting SIK2 is positioned to avoid potential toxicities associated with inhibition of other SIK isoforms, including cardiovascular effects linked to SIK1 inhibition and bone defects observed with SIK3 loss-of-function. Using structure-based drug design, the company has developed highly selective SIK2 inhibitors with greater than 300-fold selectivity over SIK1 and SIK3.
Details of the ECCO Congress presentations are as follows:
Abstract Title: Selective SIK2 Inhibition Suppresses Intestinal Inflammation and Promotes Mucosal Healing in Models of Colitis
Date: Friday, February 20, 2026
Time: 12:40 p.m. - 1:40 p.m. CET
Poster Number: P0115
Session Location: Poster Exhibition, Hall A
Presenter: Yanbo Zhang, Ph.D.
Abstract Title: SIK2 Selective Inhibitors Demonstrate Dual Anti-inflammatory and Mucosal Repair Profiles in Human ex vivo Models of Ulcerative Colitis
Date: Friday, February 20, 2026
Time: 12:40 p.m. - 1:40 p.m. CET
Poster Number: P0156
Session Location: Poster Exhibition, Hall A
Presenter: Scott Daigle
"This body of data validates that highly selective SIK2 inhibition achieves robust efficacy across preclinical and human ex vivo models through a dual mechanism of suppressing inflammation and promoting mucosal healing," said Peter Tummino, Ph.D., President of Research and Development at Nimbus. "The data support selective SIK2 inhibition as a differentiated oral therapeutic approach for inflammatory bowel disease and other chronic inflammatory diseases, with a potentially improved safety profile compared to therapies that target broader SIK inhibition. We look forward to advancing our novel SIK2 program toward first-in-human studies for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in the months ahead.”
Abstracts are currently available in an online supplement to the Journal of Crohn's and Colitis here. The posters will be available on the Nimbus website here following the conference.
About Nimbus Therapeutics
Nimbus Therapeutics is a structure-based drug discovery company developing breakthrough small molecule medicines through AI-enhanced computational chemistry. Nimbus pursues well-validated but difficult-to-drug targets with high potential to transform patients' lives. The company advances promising research based on a unique strategy that combines leading-edge computational technologies with a tailored array of machine learning-based predictive modeling approaches.
Nimbus' pipeline includes NDI-219216, a Werner syndrome helicase (WRN) inhibitor in Phase 1/2 clinical development for microsatellite instability high (MSI-H) tumors, a salt-inducible kinase 2 (SIK2) inhibitor program advancing toward first-in-human studies for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and multiple preclinical programs in oncology, immunology, and metabolic diseases. The company is headquartered in Boston, Mass. To learn more about Nimbus, please visit www.nimbustx.com.
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Contacts
Media Contact
Cindy Fung, Ph.D.
Nimbus Therapeutics
cindy.fung@nimbustx.com