About the Authors

Otis C. Attucks

Affiliation TransTech Pharma LLC, High Point, North Carolina, United States of America

Kimberly J. Jasmer

Affiliation Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America

Mark Hannink

Affiliation Biochemistry Department and Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America

Jareer Kassis

Affiliation TransTech Pharma LLC, High Point, North Carolina, United States of America

Zhenping Zhong

Affiliation TransTech Pharma LLC, High Point, North Carolina, United States of America

Suparna Gupta

Affiliation TransTech Pharma LLC, High Point, North Carolina, United States of America

Sam F. Victory

Affiliation TransTech Pharma LLC, High Point, North Carolina, United States of America

Mustafa Guzel

Affiliation TransTech Pharma LLC, High Point, North Carolina, United States of America

Dharma Rao Polisetti

Affiliation TransTech Pharma LLC, High Point, North Carolina, United States of America

Robert Andrews

Affiliation TransTech Pharma LLC, High Point, North Carolina, United States of America

Adnan M. M. Mjalli

Affiliation TransTech Pharma LLC, High Point, North Carolina, United States of America

Matthew J. Kostura

matthew.j.kostura@gmail.com

Affiliation TransTech Pharma LLC, High Point, North Carolina, United States of America

Competing Interests

High Point Pharmaceuticals, LLC provided all funds for this work. TransTech Pharma, Inc., TransTech Pharma, LLC, and High Point Pharmaceuticals, LLC are affiliates. The following authors are current or former employees of TransTech Pharma, Inc. or TransTech Pharma, LLC: OA, JK, SG, SV, MG, ZZ, DP, RA, AM, and MK. These current and former employees of TransTech Pharma, Inc., and TransTech Pharma, LLC may own units or unit options in TransTech Pharma, LLC and/or High Point Pharmaceuticals, LLC. High Point Pharmaceuticals, LLC has applied for patents covering some or all of the information disclosed in this manuscript, including but not limited to the molecules, methods of treatment, and screening methods referred to in this manuscript. Two such patent applications are PCT International Application Number PCT/US2011/024311 and PCT International Application Number PCT/US2012/020459. High Point Pharmaceuticals, LLC owns patents covering HPP-4382 and other related compounds that are in development. There are no marketed products to declare. This does not alter the authors' adherence to all the PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: OA KJ MH RA SG MG JK DP SV ZZ AM MK. Performed the experiments: OA KJ SG MG JK SV ZZ. Analyzed the data: OA KJ JK ZZ. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: SG MG SV. Wrote the paper: JK MK.