Solvonis Therapeutics PLC (LSE:SVNS) has provided an update on its AWKN-SDN-14 programme, a project aimed at developing a next-generation treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The company is working with Awakn Life Sciences to create a drug that could improve social bonding, trust, and empathy - key factors in effective PTSD therapy. The idea is to help patients rebuild relationships and engage more successfully in treatment.
To get there, Solvonis and Awakn have been working through a series of steps, including drug discovery, patent protection, and lab testing.
A setback came last year when their original research partner, Charnwood Discovery, went into administration, temporarily delaying the synthesis of key drug candidates.
However, work has since resumed with Concept Life Sciences, which took over from Charnwood. Three of the six drug candidates have already been synthesised, and the rest are expected to be completed by May.
Meanwhile, Eurofins Discovery has been carrying out lab tests on the completed drug candidates, and now Evotec - a globally recognised leader in drug discovery - has been brought in to handle the next phase of testing.
Its job is to assess how well these compounds trigger the release of key neurotransmitters, including serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline, which are all crucial to PTSD treatment.
Early results from testing have been encouraging, suggesting the programme is on the right track.
If all goes to plan, Solvonis and Awakn expect to select a lead drug candidate by the end of September, moving one step closer to bringing a new PTSD treatment to market.