Solvonis Therapeutics PLC (LSE:SVNS), an emerging biopharmaceutical company focused on central nervous system disorders, has selected SVN-114 as the lead candidate from its proprietary SVN-SDN-14 discovery programme targeting post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
PTSD affects more than 20 million people worldwide and has limited pharmacological treatment options.
The selection follows preclinical studies conducted by Evotec, the Hamburg-based drug discovery company, in which SVN-114 demonstrated what Solvonis described as balanced modulation of serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline, brain chemicals involved in mood, emotion and social behaviour.
The company's Scientific Advisory Committee, led by Professor David Nutt, reviewed the pharmacology data before designating SVN-114 as the programme's lead candidate.
The SVN-SDN-14 series is designed to enhance pro-social behaviour by modulating neurochemical pathways associated with trust, empathy and social bonding, with the aim of helping patients engage more effectively in therapy.
The discovery originates from Solvonis' internal research programme, and the company has filed international composition-of-matter patent applications covering the compound class and its pharmaceutical applications.
Professor Nutt, who also serves as chief scientific officer of Solvonis, said SVN-114 had demonstrated a robust pharmacological profile across serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline systems in both laboratory and animal testing.
Anthony Tennyson, chief executive of Solvonis, said the selection highlighted the strength of the company's drug discovery platform and that SVN-114 had the potential to offer a differentiated therapeutic approach in an area of significant unmet medical need.