Neuroscience-focused biotech Emyria Ltd (ASX:EMD) has expanded its MDMA analogue library, in partnership with the University of Western Australia (UWA), to more than 150 novel compounds.
Market potential for innovative MDMA analogues is vast, with demand for new treatments for challenging conditions like PTSD and Parkinson's disease increasing every day.
This collaboration with UWA will give Emyria the opportunity to identify new chemical entities and drug candidates and consolidate the company's position in developing MDMA therapies for the rapidly evolving mental health and neuroscience market.
The library expansion follows Emyria's encouraging progress in its preclinical MDMA-inspired drug discovery program and the recent approval of MDMA as a controlled medicine by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) from July 1, 2023.
Novel chemical entity
MDMA, a small yet stable molecule, easily crosses the blood-brain barrier and interacts with the three primary neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline.
Emyria and UWA have modified the molecule’s structure to generate novel chemical entities with different neurological effects.
These compounds have high patentability and the potential to address major unmet needs across mental health and neurological disease.
A key objective of the program is to develop faster-acting MDMA for MDMA-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a major unmet need with up to 50% of sufferers showing treatment resistance.
MDMA-assisted therapy has demonstrated remarkable benefits for patients with PTSD in Phase 3 clinical trials with clinically significant improvement seen in 80% of patients. A speedier MDMA action could shorten treatment sessions and increase the number of patients potentially benefiting from the therapy.
Another objective is to develop MDMA ‘without the high’ for Parkinson's patients experiencing L-DOPA treatment side effects (up to 80%).
A large proportion of Parkinson’s patients will experience movement disorders related to use of L-DOPA - a common Parkinson’s medication.
MDMA has been shown to improve those symptoms but carries unwanted side effects. Emyria and UWA have developed novel MDMA analogues that maintain the therapeutic benefits while eliminating the euphoric ‘high’ sensation.
What’s ahead?
Emyria's approach to MDMA-inspired drug discovery and the company’s plans to lead a specialist network providing MDMA-assisted therapy, position it at the forefront of the development of MDMA for therapeutic use.
Emyria and UWA have now synthesised and shipped a fifth batch of 19 distinctive compounds, based on prior screening results, for preliminary screening with Eurofins. This addition brings the library's total to more than 150 compounds.
The company anticipates selecting lead compounds for pre-IND enabling studies in the second half of 2023 as it advances its preclinical program.
Emyria has secured exclusive rights to all MDMA-like compounds created under the partnership with the University of Western Australia, led by medicinal chemistry expert Dr Matt Piggott.