RespireRx Pharmaceuticals (OTCQB:RSPI) Inc has noted the publication of a paper detailing the company's newest candidate D5-KRM-II-81, which is a so-called GABAkine - a type of medicine which enhances the inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain.
This latest asset is a structurally related analog to KRM-II-81, which, as previously reported, RespireRX's EndeavourRx business unit is advancing for the treatment of epilepsy and chronic pain.
D5-KRM-II-81 is being evaluated by EndeavourRx as a "potent, and orally bioavailable backup that will be used as needed as KRM-II-81 enters its clinical development," the company said in a statement.
"Doses of D5- KRM-II-81 as low as 2 mg/kg provided enduring exposure of plasma and brain of rats after oral administration. Importantly, like KRM-II-81, D5-KRM-II-81 completely prevented clonic seizures, tonic seizures, and lethality induced by the GABA receptor antagonist chemoconvulsant pentylenetetrazol.
READ: RespireRx Pharmaceuticals notes publication of paper on GABAkine KRM-II-81, which it is advancing for epilepsy and pain
"Experimental work in human epileptic brain tissue from patients that are resistant to standard of care antiepileptic medicines is ongoing," the firm added.
The latest paper is entitled "Metabolism, pharmacokinetics, and anticonvulsant activity of a deuterated analog of the α2/3-selective GABAkine KRM-II-81 in Biopharmaceutics and Drug Disposition."
A team of authors was behind the article, led by Dr Jeffrey M. Witkin, a senior research fellow at RespireRx, with contributions from academic collaborators from various universities and Arnold Lippa, who is RespireRx's executive chairman, interim president, interim CEO and chief scientific officer.
Dr Witkin said: "The antiepileptic potential discovered for D5-KRM-II-81 allows this new orally-bioavailable analog to assist with our drug development efforts in pharmacoresistant epilepsy and pain. Given the large unmet medical need in both of these areas, we are excited to have this new structural analog in our hands."
RespireRx is focused on treatments where there is poorly or unmet need, based on modifying neurotransmission (brain signaling), which have advantages to currently available drugs, if there are any.
These include for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), epilepsy, chronic pain and spinal cord injury (SCI).
Contact the author at giles@proactiveinvestors.com